KLMNO

Travel

SUNDAY, JUNE 12 , 2022. SECTION F EZ EE

NAVIGATOR

Airline stopovers can be

a budget-friendly way to

add another destination

to your itinerary. F2

RECREATION

If you’re looking for

urban destinations with

great outdoor options,

try these 10 cities. F3

SAILING

Don’t have a sailboat?

Community sailing

centers offer cheap, easy

access to the sport. F4

HIKING

Safety, hydration, gear

and more: A primer for

anyone who plans to hit

the trails this summer. F5

ANDREA SACHS/THE WASHINGTON POST

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted travel domestically and around the world. You will find the latest developments at washingtonpost.com/coronavirus/

NIKI CHAN WYLIE FOR THE WASHINGTON POST

BY ANDREA SACHS

A

t Montpelier Canyon Campground in southern

Idaho, heavy rain pummeled my tent, the drops

sounding like tiny angry fists. A small lake

formed by my toes. Temperatures plunged,

forcing me to burrow inside my sleeping bag. In the

morning, a sliver of sunshine seeped through a gap in the

fabric. I crawled out of my tunnel, yanked off the rain fly

and returned to my sleeping pad, basking in the honeyed

warmth. ¶ After days of wrestling with the elements, that

burst of sunlight did more than thaw my nose and raise

my spirits: It elevated my camping experience from basic

to luxury, an upgrade courtesy of nature. Of course, I could

have gone straight to a higher plane of camping by

spending all my time out West at Conestoga Ranch, a

glamorous Utah camping resort about 40 miles south of

the Idaho campground. But in the name of Nietzsche,

would I have truly appreciated the property’s porcelain

throne and claw-foot tub if I hadn’t persevered through

vault toilets and baby-wipe baths? ¶ “Camping is about

getting back to nature, testing yourself and not always

being comfortable. It’s about being part of the environ-

ment,” said Kelly Davis, director of research at the

Outdoor Industry Association. “With glamping, you are

SEE CAMPING ON F6

On the ground, under the skies

Camping vs. glamping: In Idaho and Utah, a look at both ends of the comfort spectrum

OUTDOORS ISSUE

TOP: Guests at the Conestoga Ranch in Garden City, Utah, can watch the sun rise over Bear Lake without getting

out of bed. The resort offers well-appointed tents and wagons, modern plumbing — and even a valet to tend the

campfire. ABOVE: Guests who have had enough pampering can head to the nearby Limber Pine Nature Trail.

MATT MCCLAIN/

THE WASHINGTON POST