Sun Mountain Lodge

Guests come from far and wide to the Sun Mountain Lodge for its elegant mountaintop setting, with 360-degree views of the North Cascade Mountains and Methow Valley. Located on 3,000 acres bordering the Okanogan National Forest, Sun Mountain Lodge offers a full complement of activities right on the resort grounds, including cross-country skiing, mountain biking and horseback riding.

A Great Resort in the Making

The spectacular Sun Mountain Lodge began as the dream of a young man who rode through northern Washington as a youth. Seeking to share the experience of the land with others, he opened the original Sun Mountain Lodge in 1968. The location was the top of a 3,000-foot high mountain with sweeping views of surrounding mountains, wilderness and valleys. The lodge was specifically designed to blend in with its surroundings using materials such as huge local boulders, fossil-imbedded stones and mammoth timbers.

When the lodge changed hands two decades later, the new owners renovated and expanded it to meet the needs of today's traveler. Following in the footsteps of the original lodge, the "new" resort uses magnificent wooden beams made of Douglas fir and an Idaho quartz stone floor, successfully upholding the original's rustic elegance.

All Rooms with a View

All rooms at the Lodge deliver views of North Cascade Mountains or the Methow Valley. The rooms serve to help guests connect with their beautiful natural surroundings, so they are smoke free and television free. The décor is a comfortable, contemporary look, and much of the wood furniture is locally made. Rooms have king or queen beds, and some also include a twin daybed. Many rooms have wood-burning or gas fireplaces, sitting areas, mini refrigerators and private decks.

Although any visit to Sun Mountain Lodge is a special one, guests with a particular occasion to celebrate may want to reserve one of the Mt. Robinson guest rooms. They set a romantic mood with king beds, jetted tubs, gas fireplaces, mini bars and a private deck where you can enjoy a glass of wine and the seasonally changing view.

Taste the Region

If the scenery and accommodations aren't enough to satisfy, the food most certainly is. The restaurant's Northwest regional ingredients, with a focus on the freshest product at hand, distinguish the Sun Mountain Lodge dining experience, which is worthy of its many awards.

Chef Patrick Miller brings years of experience from celebrated Seattle dining spots including the Four Seasons Olympic Hotel, now the Fairmont Olympic, and the Georgian Room. His menu includes naturally grown herbs and vegetables from the adjacent Sunny M Farm, tenderloin of Washington state beef, and mushrooms foraged from the Cascade Mountains that surround the lodge. The wine list will appease any oenophile, with a 5,000 bottle cellar featuring many award winning Northwest wines, some of which can only be found at the Resort.

Mardi and I find that the Sun Mountain Lodge makes it easy for guests to enjoy the outdoor beauty in every season, from sleigh rides to boating and more, all with the highest experiences of courtesy, charm, character, calm and cuisine. This is our favorite place to bring out-of the-region guests to experience the Washington Mountains. It's nothing short of extraordinary-just like the views.

I love to cross country ski and my wife loves a good book, a warm fire and room service. So there are not very many places to go that work for both of us--with the exception of Sun Mt Lodge. Now we both get what we want and then we celebrate our brilliance over a wonderful dinner and a walk under a star-filled night.