Signal Mountain Lodge

Teton views from the shore of Jackson Lake

★★★★★📍 Moran, Grand Teton National Park$$$

The best thing about Signal Mountain Lodge is that it is on the water. From the lake-view rooms you can see the Tetons across Jackson Lake, and the shoreline walk from the lodge is the sort of simple pleasure that many bigger hotels cannot match. At dawn, mist often sits on the lake and the mountains emerge one peak at a time; in the evening the same view turns gold. Mornings and evenings are the lodge's real advantage over staying in town.

Rooms and dining. The 81 rooms vary in layout, with the lake-view rooms among the most popular, and several types sleeping four to six, so families and small groups can share. Two restaurants and a bar, plus a coffee shop, mean you can eat well without driving, and the cooked-to-order breakfast is a good fuel-up before a wildlife drive. Free Wi-Fi is a useful bonus in a park where coverage is limited. The property is low-rise and older, so expect pleasant but simple rooms, and note that there are no elevators.

Planning. Because it is inside the park, it is seasonal and popular, and summer rooms sell out early, so book ahead and keep an eye out for cancellations. The Jackson Hole airport is roughly thirty minutes away. From here Oxbow Bend, Jenny Lake, Mormon Row and Schwabacher Landing are all a straightforward drive, and the lodge is a convenient overnight on a Teton-and-Yellowstone itinerary. Fit: families, couples, photographers and visitors who prefer a smaller lodge with a lake view.