Proving mother nature knows best, the national parks inspired their own brand of architecture. It’s called “parkitecture,” and while it emerged in the early 19th century, its tenants remain popular today and still influence how architects plan buildings near the national parks—and in natural landscapes in general.
Several principles define the architectural style—horizontal lines should dominate and nearby buildings should be in harmony with one another. But the overarching rule governing this architectural style is that buildings should not attempt to visually upstage the natural beauty surrounding them.
As a national park enthusiast, you’ve probably come across some classic examples of parkitecture: Yellowstone’s Old Faithful Inn and its towering lobby built with local logs and stones or the Majestic Yosemite Hotel in Yosemite National Park, which was originally built in the 1920s to draw more wealthy visitors to the park.
Here are seven more “parkitecture”-inspired hotels that are worth checking out if you love the national parks.
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