Camping is a great way to experience America's national parks, but many parks have amazing lodges, too. They're perfect for families, couples, or anyone else looking to enjoy the park without really "roughing-it." Here, our ten favorite unique, under-the-radar National Park Service lodges.

See excerpt from David and Kay Scott's article below:

3. Sol Duc Hot Springs Resort, Olympic National Park, Washington
This secluded resort in the rainforest of Olympic National Park is best known for its three hot-water mineral pools plus a large fresh-water swimming pool. The resort includes a main lodge building with a dining room and small gift shop, plus 32 modern cabins that are a short walk from the mineral pools. Pool access is included with the price of a cabin. The cabins, some with kitchens, will accommodate four adults. The cabins have covered porches with chairs and sit in a grassy area with picnic tables and outdoor bench swings. The resort is surrounded by heavily treed hills. Season: early April to late October; Rates: $147 for regular cabins, $179 for cabins with a kitchen. Read online here

6. Lewis Mountain Cabins, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia
One of the smallest of national park lodging facilities, Lewis Mountain Cabins is comprised of nine one-story cabins, a hikers' cabin, and a registration building with a small store. Once designated as "separate but equal" facilities for African Americans, the structures that date from the 1930s are well-maintained both inside and out. Each has a private bathroom plus a small picnic pavilion with a table. The complex is in a heavily forested area that offers good hiking and lots of quiet. Early one morning we watched a young bear come out of the woods, climb a tree, look around, and then climb down to search the complex for something to eat. Limited groceries are sold at the small store, and the Big Meadows complex offers a restaurant and grill seven miles north on the parkway. Season: early May to late October; Rates: $79 for one-bedroom cabins; $107 for two-bedroom cabins; higher during weekends and fall foliage. Read online here