Wyoming Guest Ranch Brooks Lake Lodge & Spa Celebrates 100 Years of Adventurous Getaways
Brooks Lake Lodge & Spa is celebrating a milestone 100 years in July 2022, creating memorable vacations for guests at its stunning lakeside location deep in the Wyoming backcountry of the Shoshone National Forest since its construction in 1922 as a stopover for travelers to Yellowstone National Park. While the lodge has evolved over the past century, for decades it has provided an exclusive, all-inclusive resort experience, offering a rustic yet luxurious escape near Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park and Jackson Hole that combines Western pioneer-era charm with modern amenities.
The year was 1922: President Warren G. Harding spoke at the dedication of the newly commissioned Lincoln Memorial. Construction began on the original Yankee Stadium. The Girl Scouts started making their very first sugar cookies to sell door to door, and Prohibition trudged on. Meanwhile, the year also saw the creation of a much-needed stopover for travelers heading to Yellowstone National Park, a comfortable haven for outdoor adventure in a perfect mountain destination. The resulting Brooks Lake Lodge & Spa celebrates its centennial anniversary this July. Initially called the Two-Gwo-Tee Inn, the Shoshone word for “spear,” the 100-year-old lodge is nestled in the Rocky Mountain wilds of Wyoming adjacent to 300-acre alpine Brooks Lake. That ideal location quickly helped the original remote inn transform into a dude ranch and then into the luxury guest ranch and all-inclusive resort it is today.
“From the beginning, the mission of Brooks Lake Lodge has been to offer guests an out-of-this-world escape where they can engage with the outdoors in ways that allow them to relax and recharge,” says Brooks Lake Lodge General Manager Matthew Tousignant. “The fact that we are now delighted and grateful to celebrate 100 years of hospitality is testament to the continuing need for true immersion in the natural world, which is becoming increasingly difficult but more critical than ever before.”
Hidden away in Shoshone National Forest but within easy driving distance to Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park, and Jackson Hole, the 25-acre crowd-free property seamlessly blends its pioneer-era foundation with modern amenities. For instance, the main lodge, constructed in a record four months in a Western Craftsman architectural style in keeping with Yellowstone’s “Parkitecture,” has been carefully preserved. Décor details evoke the grandness of the time – magnificent stone hearths, antler, and wagon-wheel chandeliers, plush leather furniture, stained-glass windows – while simultaneously offering current-day comforts such as sink-into feather beds, state-of-the-art spa treatments, freshly prepared and locally sourced gourmet meals and free Wi-Fi.
The views from the property’s perch at 9,200 feet above sea level just one mile from the North American Continental Divide – and including the Pinnacle Buttes, Austin Peak and Brooks Mountain – could not be more jaw-dropping, inviting visitors into the surrounding natural playground for the range of outdoor adventure that is the hallmark of this all-inclusive getaway. The breathtaking setting with its majestic mountains and endless evergreens even compelled Bryant B. Brooks, the seventh governor of Wyoming and Brooks Lake’s namesake, to write in 1889 upon his discovery of the valley, “Among the fir and pine there glistened a lake … what a sight! I stood closer that day to nature’s heart than ever before.”
Summer and winter activities on the property and in the more than 2 million neighboring acres of pristine national forest and mountain-ringed farmland focus on connecting guests of all ages with the area’s natural abundance and include such authentic and immersive experiences as:
- Horseback riding along trails and in the arena with experienced wranglers, as well as on glamping-style overnight pack trips complete with backcountry golf, hiking, and fishing; Hiking for all skill levels, from short nature trails to summitting an 11,000-foot peak;Year-round fishing for trout in Brooks Lake, complete with the chance for guests to have their catches brought back to the lodge to be cooked up for dinner; Canoeing around the stunning Brooks Lake; Archery lessons and target practice with expert instructors; Skiing and snowshoeing on miles of groomed trails or into the backcountry; Expert-guided wildlife excursions; Stargazing tours of the pristine Wyoming heavens; and Snowmobiling into the nearby forests, including 2 million acres of scenic terrain.
At day’s end, guests – who are treated to the highest level of service that can only come with a 1-to-1 staff-to-guest ratio – can enjoy a restorative treatment in the relaxing Rocky Mountain Spa, designed to replicate the National Historic Register of Places-designated main lodge and featuring a tranquility room, dry sauna, fitness center and 11-by-14-foot hot tub with incredible mountain views (spa treatments priced separately). They also can peruse the ever-expanding collection of Western fine art and sculpture before retreating to the handful of lodge rooms – individually decorated with handcrafted lodgepole pine furnishings and goose-down comforters – or private cabins sporting wood-burning stoves and inviting sitting areas, each ensuring a quiet and restful stay.
In addition, all guest meals are included: The chef serves hearty Western breakfasts every morning, filling lunches at noon and gourmet dinner nightly in the homey Great Hall, as well as Governor’s Tea with hors d’oeuvres for a pick-me-up in the cozy, fireplace-centered Tea Room. Meanwhile, the Cowboy Bar within the lodge serves up an extensive selection of spirits along with fun and casual nighttime entertainment, echoing the charming and wholesome atmosphere of a bygone era.
Brooks Lake Lodge & Spa will celebrate its centennial with a grand open-to-the-public party that will take place at the lodge on Saturday July 2, 2022 (check the Brooks Lake Lodge website for details; no overnight reservations are available for July 2).
About Brooks Lake Lodge & Spa
Brooks Lake Lodge & Spa, a 100-year-old historic guest ranch is located in Wyoming’s Shoshone National Forest near Jackson Hole, Grand Teton National Park, and Yellowstone National Park. Surrounded by evergreen forests next to alpine Brooks Lake, the exclusive, all-inclusive Rocky Mountain resort offers five-star service, luxury accommodations and gourmet dining. The lodge enjoys frequent media acclaim, including as a “Top All-Inclusive Family Resort in the U.S. by Reader’s Digest, and one of the “20 Best All-Inclusive Resorts in the U.S” by U.S. News & World Report in 2021, the best place to “Lean into Winter” by Travel + Leisure in 2020 and a 2018 “Best Lake Resort” by National Geographic Traveler. Brooks Lake Lodge is in partnership with Shoshone and Bridger-Teton National Forest and is an equal opportunity employer and provider. For additional information and reservations visit their site or call 866.213.4022. Follow Brooks Lake Lodge on Facebook and Instagram.
