birgator and others - there is nothing wrong with just turning it off - the problem is that some people just can't! They get all twitchy if they have service and don't check every 10 minutes or so. If they don't have service, it's taken out of their hands, so they can relax.

There are actually resorts popping up that require you to turn in your cell phone when you get there. They do yoga and the one I read about (I think it was in a Sunset magazine) had fairly heavy exercise, and a vegetarian diet.

I second Colorado because I live here and LOVE it. And Alaska. When my daughter lived there a couple of years ago she had to go down to the telephone pole by the river where there was a party line.

Lopez Island, WA (in the San Juans!)

I have verizon. Only places I had problems was in the south -- Alabama through Texas (never did get further than that with verizon). AT&T delivered in the west, even remote national parks many years ago. My kids can't get a T-mobile signal in their Grant Park Atlanta house....That's why I suggested calling your provider.

Although I suspect that if someone is REALLY twitchy, they will be trying to see if they have a signal yet every ten minutes....Trust me on that one.

I like the idea of leaving it all at home, and getting a basic throwaway for emergencies.

Vermont. Even Verizon can't break through those green mountains.

Lake Chelan in Washington State has a lodge at Stehekin. You cannot get any cell phone service at the lodge and you have to get there by ferry--you cannot get there by car.

I myself have not been, but my inlaws have traveled the area a lot and say Lake Chelan is very beautiful.

http://www.lodgeatstehekin.com/index.html

Arches and Canyonlands are pretty much free of connections, esp. Canyonlands, but in Moab there was service.

CBS Sunday Morning had a story yesterday on the national radio quiet zone around Snow Shoe as above. You can watch the story on line if of interest.

You really CAN turn the phones off. Leave the forwarded message that I get from many--we will be on vacation with limited access to email or phone. If there is an emergency call_______
Choose what you WANT to do, wherever it is and just say no.
Take a "throwaway" phone that you give the number to one person in case of emergency.

Three National Parks you are guaranteed not to get cell service in for most of your visit.

Carlsbad Caverns
Mammoth Cave
Wind Cave

When is this trip? I wouldn't even consider Death Valley in the summer. You really might need that cell phone if you went at that time.

Yellowstone....especially if you have AT&T

There is service at Old Faithful area just fine with ATT

I should move to Yellowstone. I couldn't get ATT in my own house!!

I too am kind of wondering about this problem. Just say no. If you don't want to use a cell phone, then turn it off, put it in your luggage and simply check it once a day, or whatever it takes for what you want to do. But the idea of going somewhere with NO or little coverage if you actually DO NEED to use the phone once a day, just somehow seems counterproductive to me. This is sort of like someone saying where can I go where I won't eat too much? Huh? Just say no!

Here are AT&T maps showing places that have no coverage. You'll need to click on both "voice" and "data" but they generally are the same zones. Cross reference with a regular Google map and type in exact address on the AT&T site to make sure.

http://www.wireless.att.com/coverage...73388672&sci=5

I agree. Just say no.

Believe the posts about the cell coverage in most of the National Parks. Cell coverage across the West is very spotty. If you want to make a call, you need to stop the car. I had a nearly 3 week roadtrip with my husband who travels like Get Smart. I can't believe what technology I find hidden on his body. But we had hardly any calls and could not make calls in Glacier, most of Montana, Yellowstone, Crater Lake, Grand Canyon,Zion, Bryce,Most of Utah and Clorado, Nothing on Pikes Peak. Yes at Old faithful,people are all on their phones and then it erupts. Then you leave that "hotspot"( pun intended) and no calls. If you are in the mountains, nothing. And most cruise ships have no coverage as soon as you are out of sight of land unless you tap into their very expensive servers. In Europe unless you are in a metro area, very little coverage. People are also surprised by the $500-$1000 phone bills they get when they get home! As soon as you leave port, nothing. It was 13 days later in the middle of the Adrienne Sea that a satellite passed over for 10 minutes and everyone's phone rang and downloaded their voice mails and e-mails. And then you couldn't do anything about it, because the satellite moved away. And it was quiet again.With a port intensive cruise and only 2 days at sea, there is little pool time. BTW, the kids will enjoy pool time and are unimpressed by rocks,mountains, and canyons after a few days. When we travel, as suggested above, we designate a time frame for receiving and sending calls. And after that, see you tomorrow. Good luck.

But it's sooo hard to just say no... to just turn technology off. It's a compulsion that makes me nervous knowing I could be missing something, especially now that we have smartphones that brings my emails, texts, and facebook right to my hand, wherever I am.

Yes, I understand how it's so hard for some people to say no. That's why we have a drug problem in this country, and an obesity problem, and a problem with children with no respect for authority. . . and. . . and.

But for the life of me, I can't believe the only way for a person to put down his cell phone and ignore it is to go to a place where it simply won't work!

I think you might be better off to stay home and enjoy your phone.