Montana
Stay: St Mary Lodge and Resort has cabins with mountain views and great access to Glacier NP.
C’mon Inn is a Midwest chain hotel
Do: Visit the Museum of the Rockies, home to a treasure trove of dinosaur bones discovered in the mountains. For more dino-thrills, try the Two Medicine Dinosaur Centre.
Wyoming
Stay: Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel is a great place to watch elks bugling. It also offers excellent Lamar Valley Wildlife evening tours.
Jackson Lake Lodge (Grand Teton) has cabins, cafés and a glass-walled lounge with unrivalled mountain views. It also runs remote horseback tours for all levels – recommended.
Homewood Suites (Rock Springs) is well placed.
Windy Hills Guest House (between Laramie and Cheyenne) overlooks Curt Gowdy State Park; sit in a hottub, watching deer feed and owls hoot.
Do: Killpecker Tours runs passionately guided tours of the petroglyphs outside Rock Springs.
Colorado
Stay: Armstrong Hotel is on the main street, with a jazz bar below and a coffee shop next door.
Golden Leaf Inn (Rocky Mountain NP) is a lovingly restored old house with great views and even better breakfasts.
Eat: Fort Collins Brewery serves good beer and locally sourced food.
Do: Visit Fort Collins to enjoy its organic food store, independent boutiques and coffee shops. Also tour New Belgium Brewery – booking essential.
