Luxury Winter Escapes From Alaska to Arizona

As fall gives way to winter across the U.S., each corner of the country embraces the season with its own quiet beauty, from icy lakes to fog shrouded coastlines. In the north, snow blankets the ground and bare trees stand watch under silver sunlight. In the Rockies, towering pines are dusted in white and Chinook winds whistle through the canyons. The South feels a gentler change, where crisp mornings give way to clear, cool skies. The air is filled with the smell of pine needles, spruce and the occasional tendril of wood smoke. Winter is typically a time of reflection, hibernation and rest.

But when much of the U.S. moves indoors to escape the colder months, winter offers a unique chance to experience the country from a different perspective, in a different way. Places tell alternate stories—from the quiet crunch of snow to the sight of dog sleds racing through frozen trails. Whether it’s chasing the Northern Lights from a mountain lodge in Alaska, ice-fishing with a private guide in Montana or slicing through freshly-groomed cross-country trails in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, we’ve composed a curated list of our favorite luxury winter escapes, where you’ll be fully immersed in the feel and the adventures of the season.

The Ranch at Rock Creek

Phillipsburg, Montana

Sitting in a pristine valley of Southwest Montana, the Ranch at Rock Creek is an intimate 19th-century homestead turned indulgent, luxury retreat. Here, you’re surrounded by majestic Montana mountains, crystal clear rivers, and meadows of wildflowers as far as the eye can see. In winter, this scenery shifts to a blanket of white stretching for miles, with forests of firs weighed down by fresh snow and lakes frozen like etched crystal. To experience the ranch during this season is to experience the best of Montana. Guests have the chance to ice fish with a private guide on Georgetown Lake, ice skate on a frozen Bikin Pond, skim over fresh nordic ski trails, or snowshoe any of the five peaks in the valley. Slip into the evenings by basking in the glow of a warm, wood-stoked fire with a warm drink in hand.

This luxury winter escape pairs well with: A Luxury Winter Vacation to Montana

The Lodge at Black Rapids

Delta Junction, Alaska

On a rocky bluff beneath the Hayes Range, in the heart of the Alaskan Range, sits the Lodge at Black Rapids. A few hours drive south of Fairbanks, this lodge is for those unafraid of winter solitude and excited by intrepid adventure. Here, you’ll have the chance to immerse yourself in the stark Alaskan winter by exploring the nearby Castner ice caves, slicing along fresh-cut cross-country trails, staking out the great Northern Lights on clear nights, and dog sledding across miles of the rugged and wild backcountry. End your evenings back at the lodge warmed by spiced drinks, local tales, and a roaring fire.

This luxury winter escape pairs well with: An Epic Alaska Road Trip

Dunton Hot Springs

Dunton, Colorado

After following the West Fork of the Dolores River through an idyllic valley lined with aspen and pine, you’ll find Dunton Hot Springs nestled at the head of the valley. Once a small mining settlement, you’ll stay in authentically hand-hewn log cabins built by the original miners. During winter’s colder months, you’ll wake up to a winter wonderland waiting outside your door. Spend the day exploring the alpine valley through cross-country trails groomed by Olympic Nordic skier Wendy Wegner, snowshoeing through the San Juan Mountains, or bundling up for a carriage ride through softly falling snow. To warm up and recuperate from your day, soak in the rejuvenating mineral-rich hot springs, savor a melting raclette over dinner, or bundle up with a hot chocolate by the fireside.

This luxury winter escape pairs well with: Aspen to Crested Butte: A Luxury High Mountain Adventure

Castle Hot Springs

Morristown, Arizona

Just over an hour’s drive north of Phoenix, Arizona, Castle Hot Springs is an adults-only resort tucked within a canyon known for its restorative hot springs. Sitting on 1,100 acres of rugged and rocky desert, this resort serves as a secluded oasis, with multiple mineral rich, geothermal hot springs spread throughout the estate, along with a rich and storied history. As winter greets the rest of the country, you’ll trade the cold, dark and gray for the warm, sunny and rejuvenating. There is a deep history embedded in these canyons, as Castle Hot Springs once welcomed figures like John F. Kennedy, Theodore Roosevelt, Cecil B. DeMille, who all sought refuge from harsh winter weather in other parts of the country. Here, you’ll have the chance to immerse yourself in the historic mineral-rich springs, eat from the year-round garden, trek through the Sonoran hills on horseback, or explore the canyons via a via-ferrata, all under a cool, clear southwest winter sky.

This luxury winter escape pairs well with: The Red Rock and Canyon Country of Arizona and Utah

Inn at Five Graces

Santa Fe, New Mexico

In the heart of Santa Fe, watched over by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, sits the Inn at Five Graces. Meticulously decorated with Central and South Asia antiques in traditional adobe style lodging, the Inn is a strong reflection of the city’s eclectic and vibrant personality. Firmly situated in the American Southwest, Santa Fe is home to 23 tribes, nations and pueblos, and known for its strong sunshine and high desert landscape. But in winter, a whole new side emerges. The temperature cools, a light dusting of snow occasionally falls, but the days stay clear and bright. From the Inn, you’ll have the chance to experience Santa Fe during these extraordinary months, by walking through the Barrio de Analco, exploring the white sandstone cliffs of Plaza Blanca or attending a chocolate tasting at nearby Kakawa. On cool winter nights, the kiva fireplaces throughout the Inn and Five Graces burn New Mexico’s signature piñon pine and fill the air with its homely fragrance.

This luxury winter escape pairs well with: Back to the Future in New Mexico