The Cougar Ridge Lodge in Utah.
Winston Aldworth checks into the Cougar Ridge Lodge, in Utah.
Location: We're in Torrey, Utah, a sniff under four hours from Salt Lake City, right at the bit where the vast landscapes of southern Utah open up. The landscape is all Road Runner skylines, red cliffs and sunsets that go
forever. Las Vegas is a six-hour drive the other way.
The place: The lodge sits on 16ha in Wayne County and has been open for six years. The owner plans to build more cabins, a gym and a restaurant.
Service: Our host for the night was the aforementioned owner, Gary Bagley, an ex-Marine who made his money in hiring out construction equipment. Now — happily for anyone wanting to stay somewhere amazing in this part of the world — he's pouring his money into this joint.
Despite the name, Gary has never seen a cougar on his property, let alone one on a ridge. "But I find one or two cougar-killed deer a year," he says, as I make a mental note to forgo the evening stroll.
