With technology seemingly present in every aspect of life and corner of the globe, it can feel almost impossible to truly unplug and relax. But there are still some sacred spots where you can escape the world and all its stresses – you just need to know where to look.
Luckily, we’ve done all the hard work for you. These are our favorite cabins and lodges scattered across the USA that allow you to unclench, reconnect with the natural world and recharge yourself rather than your devices.
1. Kenai Fjords Wilderness Lodge, Alaska
Reaching this coastal lodge on Fox Island in Alaska requires a 12-mile boat ride from Seward. The eight-guest cabin property and its main lodge are nestled in the woods between a pristine pebble beach and a quiet lagoon.
Relying on renewable energy as a power source (but backed up by propane generators), the cabins go without electrical outlets, TVs, radios or phones (don’t worry: emergency communication access is available in case of a serious issue). Guests can also hike, kayak and learn more about the area’s marine life from on-staff naturalists.
2. Osprey Cabin, Lake Metigoshe State Park, North Dakota
This backcountry cabin within a state park in northern North Dakota is accessible by one of two ways: a two-mile hike or a 1.5-mile canoe ride and short portage. Once you get there, you can expect throwback rural simplicity. The property sleeps up to six with two full beds and two twin beds. It includes a wood-burning stove, supplied wood to fuel it and a lantern with propane cylinders.
Now, here comes the hard part: along with no electricity or cell service, a vault toilet is available onsite, but water has to be packed in. Breathe in that clean country air on more than eight miles of trails open to hikers and mountain bikers and go swimming or boating within small lakes.
3. Glamping Getaway Goblin Valley Yurts, Utah
Within southern Utah’s Goblin Valley State Park, you’ll find two heated and cooled yurts that blend in with the park’s rock formations and look like they arrived from outer space. Available to reserve year-round, the tan-colored yurts contain just a porch, living area, a single bed bunked on a double bed and a futon.
You’ll need to pack a flashlight and candles, as the yurts lack electricity. Yet this certified Dark Sky park will keep you busy with wanderings among its Valley of Goblins or canyoneering down into Goblin’s Lair.
4. Taos Goji Eco-Lodge, New Mexico
Nestled in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, miles outside of Taos, New Mexico, this eco-lodge will inspire you with its forest views and peaceful surroundings. These turn-of-the-century-built cabins hosted writers DH Lawrence and Aldous Huxley; the latter wordsmith built an outhouse at the property that’s still intact.
Heat comes from wood-fired stoves; wi-fi can be spotty and cellular service can be little to none. Nonetheless, the property also introduces a bit of farm living by growing organic goji berries, fruits and vegetables, and raising free-range chickens, goats and alpacas.
5. Timberlock, New York
This camp-style retreat in New York State’s Adirondacks region provides a nostalgic experience for those who fondly remember spending their summers away from home and time in the woods with new friends.
The family-owned property features rustic cabins ranging in size from small to extra large, all with views of Indian Lake’s shoreline. Note that none of the cabins have electricity: propane both provides light and warms up the water heaters, and a wood stove helps out with chilly nights.
Complaints about no wi-fi or TV are few to none, as visitors keep busy kayaking, canoeing and enjoying other waterside activities along with biking or playing tennis.
6. Pioneer Cabins, Kumbrabow State Forest, West Virginia
Situated on top of Rich Mountain, along the edge of the Allegheny Highlands, this West Virginia state park provides the opportunity to stay in one of six West Virginian pioneer cabins. These rustic gems will transport guests far back from our digital age – as in no electricity and running water – yet all feature modern-day comforts, with gas lights and gas refrigerators, a kitchen, linens, a wood fireplace and a grill. Showers take place at a central bathhouse, and the need for a restroom is fulfilled by outside toilets.
7. Appalachian Mountain Club Maine Wilderness Lodges, Maine
This property in Maine’s 100-Mile Wilderness is a collection of lodges along with a trail system that truly provides an off-the-beaten-path feeling. Originally a private camp in the mid-19th century, the pond-side Gorman Chairback Lodge & Cabins have four deluxe cabins with private bathrooms and eight shoreline cabins with woodstoves and gas lamps, plus a bunkhouse.
The Little Lyford Lodge & Cabins’ nine private cabins offer a combo of doubles and bunk beds plus a porch, a wood stove and gas lamps; for an additional fee, dogs can camp out here, too. Medawisla Lodge & Cabins (“medawisla” means “loon” in Abenaki) has five private hilltop cabins and four waterfront cabins with electric LED lighting and a wood stove.
8. Len Foote Hike Inn, Georgia
You reach this backcountry inn in Georgia via a hike to Amicalola Falls State Park. Before you go, know cellphones, radios and just about any electronic device aren’t allowed (the park’s visitor center can become an emergency contact). Its four main buildings hold 20 bedrooms with fans or heaters, bunkbeds, furnished linens and ample lighting.
Within the dining hall, guests are served family-style breakfasts and dinners. After hiking, go for a soak in the bathhouse or hang out and chat with others in the Sunrise Room. The inn is also a gateway to the Appalachian Trail and the moderate 9.8-mile loop Len Foote Hike Inn Trail.
This article was first published Oct 14, 2020 and updated Sep 8, 2024.
