By David Lukas

Why spend the night at an ordinary hotel when you can stay at one of America's fabulous eco-adventure resorts? With activities ranging from white-water rafting to sport fishing, these resorts combine adventure-filled days with relaxed evenings in unique natural settings. Most offer guided services and introductions to new activities that you might not try on your own, so bring your sense of adventure for one of these journeys off the beaten path.

A Yosemite Most People Don't See

Of the four million people who travel to Yosemite National Park each year, no more than a handful return in the depths of winter for the unique opportunity to stay at Tioga Pass Resort. Located at nearly 10,000 feet, perched amid alpine lakes and peaks of California's eastern Sierra Nevada, you can only reach this rustic mountain resort on skis or snowshoes while your gear is transported up the famous Tioga Pass Road on a snowcat. The reward is unlimited access to Yosemite's backcountry, with world-class skiing and jaw-dropping views. The resort offers heartwarming cabins and delicious meals, the same as you'll find if you stop by for a visit in the summer when the roads are open.

Cross country skiing through Yosemite National Park
© Lee Foster. Lonely Planet Images.

Snag a Big Fish in Florida

If your vacation plans include warm water and tropical beaches, then check out the historic Tarpon Lodge on Florida's seldom-visited Pine Island. Best known as the place that invented tarpon sport fishing, Pine Island lacks beaches so is mostly ignored by tourists, giving the island its wonderful and secluded "country waterfront" feel. This is a place where you can still sail and fish to your heart's content, and even better: You can boat to renowned beaches in 15 to 30 minutes. Expect to be accompanied by dolphins, manatees, sea turtles, roseate spoonbills and bald eagles during your stay at Pine Island.

Head for the Hills in Texas

In the Hill Country just outside Austin, Texas, there is a place you will enjoy whether you go by yourself, with your whole family or on a corporate retreat. At 940 acres, the sprawling Canyon of the Eagles Lodge & Nature Park is as big as the Texas sky itself. Come for the canoeing and 14 miles of nature trails, or simply sit on the veranda of the lodge and enjoy spectacular lake views. Visitors return time after time for the amazing wildflower displays, the abundant wildlife, or to simply enjoy a little peace and solitude.

Exhilarating white-water rafting down a southern Oregon landmark, the Rogue river provides waterfalls, rapids and adventure
© Lee Foster. Lonely Planet Images.

A Home in the Wilderness

Some of the most stunning wild places in Oregon are located along the Wild and Scenic Rogue River in the southwest corner of the state. Offering some of the premier white-water rafting in the nation, a unique 36-mile Rogue River Trail and a network of bucolic lodges, the Rogue River corridor is a beacon for wilderness enthusiasts who don't mind staying at a different wilderness resort each night along the way. One favorite is Clay Hill Lodge, a comfortably moderate six-mile walk from the nearest road, which is accessible for folks who don't want to go further into the wilderness. With advance planning you can make it to the lodge in under three hours, carrying only a day pack with lunch and water, while the rest of your gear is delivered by raft. Once settled into your room, take your time to enjoy top-notch walking and rafting opportunities. You can also arrange lodge-to-lodge hikes, raft-supported hikes, or shuttles to meet your needs.

Finding Adventure in the Great Smokies

It makes sense that the Falling Waters Adventure Resort, in Bryson City, N.C., is a gateway to adventure — it is situated just a few miles from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the Appalachian Trail and the famous Nantahala Gorge. Stay in one of the resort's luxury yurts, cabins, barn or main lodge, while spending your days exploring some of the area's hundreds of miles of mountain-biking trails. Want to try something else? The resort offers horseback riding, canoeing, kayaking, white-water rafting, fishing, history excursions, hiking and a whole lot more.

Bio: David Lukas is a professional naturalist who lives just outside Yosemite National Park. He leads nature tours and writes about the plants and animals of places ranging from Borneo to Tanzania to Nova Scotia.

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