As the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns ease and Americans look to hit the road, national parks might be among the first destinations to welcome them.
The Xanterra Travel Collection, which operates hotels and concessions in a number of parks — including Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Zion, Death Valley and Glacier — said that it would reopen the bulk of its park properties on June 15.
Two other hotels it operates just outside of park boundaries, the Cedar Creek Lodge near Glacier and the Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon, plan to reopen May 22 and May 23, respectively.
In Grand Teton, the Signal Mountain Lodge and Campground operated by Forever Resorts said it will open June 5.
This story by Jeri Clausing originally appeared in Travel Weekly.
The June dates for reopening properties inside the parks are two to three weeks earlier than most tour operators and cruise companies are planning to resume operations.
And for the most part, Xanterra is expecting a solid season.
“We believe this is a summer of domestic travel,” said Betsy O’Rourke, chief marketing officer for Xanterra. “It’s road trips where you can control the environment in your car. You can bring along a lot of your own food. There is less interaction … and certainly, national parks provide big, beautiful, outdoor spaces.”