Hotel at a Glance: Rainbow Ranch Lodge

The Rainbow Ranch Lodge offers a quintessential, upscale-yet-rustic log cabin experience in Montana wilderness. The lodge blends in with its surroundings, with exposed wooden beams, stone columns, balconies outfitted with Adirondack chairs, and large picture windows that put the Rocky Mountain scenery on display. To top it off, the lodge is just 45 miles from Yellowstone National Park's west gate, which is the closest access point to Old Faithful. During the winter months, the west gate is only accessible via snowmobile and snowcoach tours.

• Grab a bite at the on-site Restaurant at Rainbow Ranch, where the chef prepares entrees made with Montana beef, bison, wild game, and fresh seafood; pair with wine from the restaurant's award-winning collection
• Stay active On-site activities range from fly fishing to hiking trails
• In-room amenities: Most guest rooms come with a handcrafted lodgepole bed, satellite TV, fireplace, bathrobes, and an outdoor deck
• Fresh-baked cookies are available at the front desk upon check-in
• Start the morning with a complimentary continental breakfast of homemade pastries, fresh fruit, and a hot entree such as pancakes or a frittata
• Pamper yourself with a spa treatment at the Outpost Retreat, decked out with an oversized river-rock fireplace and outdoor hot tub
• Borrow a pair of snowshoes from the front desk to explore trails accessible from the lodge

Big Sky, Montana: Rocky Mountain Outdoor Recreation near Yellowstone National Park

Montana's nickname is "Big Sky Country," an ode to the state's unspoiled scenery. The town of Big Sky, Montana, situated along the Gallatin River, lives up to the moniker. In the winter, visitors flock to the area to snowshoe, cross-country ski, or hit the slopes at one of the area ski resorts, including Big Sky Resort and Lone Mountain Ranch.

The western entrance to Yellowstone National Park—the country's first national park—is just 43 miles away. Though much of Yellowstone is inaccessible in the winter, the northwest corner known as Mammoth Hot Springs stays open year-round. A wintertime visit means you could have the park nearly to yourself. Popular cold-weather pursuits include snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. Winter can be a great time to see wildlife too; keep your eyes peeled for wolves, bison, and elk.

Yellowstone is actually located in the hollowed-out caldera of a supervolcano, which is the source of the park's signature geysers and hot springs. In fact, half of the world's geysers are located within Yellowstone. At Mammoth Hot Springs, boiling water bubbles up from below the earth's surface and cascades down a series of limestone terraces. It's illegal to swim in any of the geothermal features within the park, but there is one exception. Just across the Montana-Wyoming border, the hot springs of the Boiling River mix with the cool waters of the Gardner River. You're likely to find someone bathing here in the winter, fall, or summer—it can be temporarily closed in the spring due to the high volume of snowmelt.

Love to travel? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for travel tips, inspiration, and photos from around the world.