PS. Fly to Las Vegas, rent a car, and drive 2 hours to Zion by way of St George and then the Springdale entrance.

Wow - these all sound great. I love the park information. Having never been to any of them, I am quite underinformed. The only thing I worry about is snowfall. I want it but I don't want to get stranded or not be able to get there after planning the trip. We are changing our date from late December to late February. I have a weeklong break from school and we realized the holidays are just too busy with kids and family obligations. Would the change in the date make anyone change their opinion in their post? Zion Nat'l Park sounds absolutely fabulous - you've pegged the ambiance we're looking for precisely! But Timberline, Yellowstone, and Chico Hot Springs sound great as well so I'll be interested in the updated posts I get.

Timberline is great, but it isn't a resort, if that matters to you. It is a historic lodge, with a lot of character, and of course skiing out the lodge door. Beautiful area! Hiking will not be possible, but snowshoeing definitely is. Lots of great snowshoeing in the area as well.