#high-desert-accommodations

#high-desert-accommodations

Breckenridge will host its first-ever Wildflower Week from July 2 to July 12, celebrating the arrival of colorful blooms in the mountain meadows. The event will include a farmer's market, live music, and kids' crafts, along with wildflower hikes led by naturalists and floral cocktail classes.

Barefoot trails exist around the world, inviting people to get closer to nature through sounds and sensations. Feeling cool mud squish between toes, stepping on pine needles and exploring meditation caves transforms a routine walk into an immersive experience.

Antarctica, covering about 5.4 million square miles, is nearly twice the size of Europe and is predominantly covered in ice, which contains most of the world's fresh water.

Aman's presence in the United States, with Amangiri, Amangani and Aman New York, reflects our focus on creating rare sanctuaries in destinations defined by natural beauty and cultural depth.

Goblin Valley State Park is often overlooked and relatively undiscovered, making it a perfect alternative for those seeking solitude away from crowded tourist spots like Bryce Canyon.

Sensei Porcupine Creek, located in the Santa Rosa Mountains, offers a tranquil environment with luxurious accommodations, a private golf course, and a world-class tennis facility, all designed to promote wellness.

Palm Springs' economy hinges on the volatility of seasonal tourism, which explains why so few new restaurants open there, and why some promising upstarts can quickly disappear. But new is fun, especially for Angelenos who travel frequently to the desert.

"We want people to experience Big Sur the way it should be experienced, with these beautiful mountains and beaches," says Danielle Brown, front desk supervisor at Treebones. "... I want them to feel comfortable, but also disconnected."

Bryce Canyon National Park is home to the world's largest concentration of hoodoos, making hiking here feel like you're on another planet. I recommend hiking around the rim to take in the vastness of the spires.

Death Valley National Park is treating visitors to what rangers are calling the most outstanding bloom year in a decade - the best since the 2016 "superbloom" - according to National Park Service. Recent rainfall and mild winter temperatures have triggered dormant seeds to sprout, creating a fleeting spectacle of desert color.

Channeling the look and feel of authentic national park lodges was an important part of this renovation project. We took great care to preserve its independent spirit and also invite guests to truly immerse themselves in the destination, from the captivating views from the lodge to the quiet serenity offered by the Colorado River that winds itself around the property.

Every day I ask myself, how did I go from a successful divorce lawyer to knowing 80 varieties of palm trees? If you had told me four years ago that I would be quitting a 12-year career as a lawyer to install and design gardens, I would have laughed.

By midwinter, Los Angeles is defined less by cold than by light. Cool, clear mornings give way to afternoons shaped by the low winter arc of the sun, painting the mountains in long shadows and the sky in improbable color. And as that low light settles in, my whole body shifts in spirit. Somewhere deep in the limbic system, a synapse fires like a flare, tracing the old circuitry of migration and memory - that annual pull toward the wide-open deserts of the American Southwest.

For 2025, there was good news and bad news: overall, these areas were visited 323 million times over the course of the year. That's the good news; the bad news is that this figure was down ever so slightly - specifically, 2.7% - from a record-setting 2024.

Luxury desert resorts here aren't just places to stay; they're destinations in their own right, with trails that invite sunrise meditation hikes to spas drawing on indigenous botanicals and healing rituals inspired by centuries of Native American tradition. According to recent tourism data, nearly 44 percent of high-end visitors to Arizona choose 5-star hotels or resorts, and a significant number of travelers list relaxation and wellness experiences - including spa time and desert recreation among their top holiday motivations.

As a SoCal resident, I visit Anza-Borrego at least once a year to explore the sandstone Slot canyon and surrounding desert, keeping an eye out for animals like chuckwalla lizards and bighorn sheep. Despite its incredibly dry environment (the park averages just four to eight inches of rain a year, and summertime temps routinely hit the hundreds), Anza-Borrego teems with life and opportunities to explore one of the nation's most unique ecosystems.

Many glamping places are right off the highway. With Backland, we wanted an immersive nature experience-total comfort, with unobstructed views. The camp sits on an immense and grassy meadow ringed by an unnamed forest. Ten nature suites looked more like futuristic Quonset huts than white tents.

The Invisible House: a 22-story skyscraper laid on its side and made almost entirely of glass, sitting on 90 acres of desert land a quick drive from Joshua Tree National Park. It struck the perfect balance, and I booked it immediately. I soon learned that Demi Lovato, Diplo, Lizzo, and more famous faces had stayed at the property before me, and it'd even made a cameo on Netflix's The World's Most Amazing Vacation Rentals.