Park Lodges in West Have More Vacancies

There is more room at the inns at western national parks, making it easier to book lodging for summer and fall.

Concessionaires were expecting fewer foreign visitors this summer, a trend accelerated by skittishness after the Sept. 11 attacks. But hopes that Americans might make up the difference were dashed by publicity about wildfires in Arizona and Colorado, officials said.

At Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park, Maswik Lodge had rooms available on most dates through September and virtually all dates in October, the Internet site of concessionaire Xanterra Parks & Resorts, www.xanterra.com, showed last week. Bright Angel Lodge & Cabins, while booked for August, had some open dates in September and October and many in November. By contrast, El Tovar--the high-end lodge traditionally in most demand--was booked through October.

Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park also reported more available rooms than usual, which officials attributed partly to economic uncertainty and the recent tendency to book at the last minute. Although the luxury Jenny Lake Lodge had only a few nights open through Oct. 5, when it closes, Jackson Lake Lodge had vacancies on most dates in September, according to the Internet site of the concessionaire, Grand Teton Lodge Co., www.gtlc.com.