Location Location Location! Welcome to Life of Riley Lodge, a destination home with the rarest views in the entire area Yellowstone luxury home rental pool. Summer 2023 reservations are still available, but act soon as we book up fast this time of year when families gather during the holidays! (All pictures shown were taken in 2022)
Life of Riley Lodge is Yellowstone National Park's closest, best reviewed, most frequently booked, fully outfitted with no expense spared waterfront vacation rental - an "Ultra Luxury" VRBO property. Our goal is to deliver the ultimate in comfort and consideration, something surprisingly rare the Yellowstone area. With Big Sky, MT & Jackson Hole, WY both about two hours further from the parks main attractions, Life of Riley Lodge is the closest of all premier residences to the main (West/most popular) gate of the park. Included with your reservation we go far beyond what the competing area rental homes offer, providing a private 1on1 concierge vacation consultation and custom built trip planning web page for your group upon booking. To enjoy the Yellowstone area beyond the typical crowded tourist experience requires advance planning and insider knowledge of what to do + when and why. Born local to the area, we are uniquely positioned to help you create upscale experiences that most Yellowstone visitors do not even know exist. The best restaurants, secret Yellowstone tips, premium outfitters and guides for your boutique adventure. From private chuck wagon/sleigh rides, joining dinosaur digs, to romantic helicopter tours with private chef, let us help you arrange a perfect stress free vacation to the Yellowstone area.
The lodge is a nearly 40 yr old original Yellowstone style hand-scraped whole log cabin, completely renovated and constantly refreshed every year. (Annual Improvements in 2022 alone total $25K!) Spanning over 3000 sqft with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths sleeping 13 guests on 3 king size and 7 twin size TempurPedic mattresses. We are also among the less than 3% of Yellowstone area rental houses with air conditioning and one of the only rentals to provide trash removal service, electronic keypad locks (no lost keys!) plus a full exterior CCTV security system for your safety. Thin atmosphere = hot in summer so AC is a must for a luxury vacation. Most area rental agreements require "chores" -You must drop off all your trash at a landfill that is about a 1/2 hour drive each way-pick up keys from the local host-and spend the last day of your vacation laundering linens...inconveniences you will not experience with us, we don't even have cleaning fees! While there are a wide variety of options in the area, we are one of the only catering to discerning guests seeking a premium 5 star Yellowstone vacation experience that takes the rough out of roughing it.
Near the park boundary on the ID/MT border at an elevation of nearly 7000 feet, a legacy access property on the very exclusive North shoreline of Henry's Lake, not the small shallow stream inlets and public fishing areas where most competing "Henry's Lake" homes are located. Set between bucolic mountains, Henry's is one of the most renowned and award winning trophy fishing lakes in the country due to world class scenery and 2 state records for the largest trout ever caught! The Island Park Reservoir by comparison is much further away from YNP in a mostly flat valley frequented by motorsports crowds, a totally different experience. On quiet Henrys Lake you can enjoy trophy fishing, hiking, boating, horseback riding, or ATV/UTV/Rafting tours just 10 mins away. Contact us to learn more about the Yellowstone vacation you have been dreaming about.
Drive through the lodge's towering log gate and then immediately soak in the 360 degree waterfront and mountain views. Next, enter the cabin on the 2nd floor which opens to the Great Room and kitchen. The wood burning fireplace towers over two dueling custom American made Bradington & Young distressed leather sofas, the finest hand made rugs, 10-person Restoration Hardware dining set + three barstools at the live edge bar- enough seating for everyone to enjoy meals together. The chef's kitchen has new Miele appliances and is fully outfitted with literally everything you will need to serve a gourmet meal to all of your party. No expense spared. The nearly 30ft tall great room is the main gathering spot and the best room for jaw dropping views. Off the great room is a wide wrap around deck with Adirondack chairs and the first of our two outdoor kitchens.
Continuing upstairs on the 3rd floor is the loft and master suite. The cozy quiet loft is above the fray and is the perfect place to read a book or watch the wildlife on the lake with a massive panoramic view, this is perhaps the most relaxing place in the lodge. Past the loft is the master bedroom suite. Perfect for the small family with child and completely redone to the 9's with all new furniture, art, fixtures, a Tempur-Pedic king size and twin size captains bed all with matching Ralph Lauren bedding , the lodge’s largest suite is it's finest. Including En suite full bath with multiple head shower plus a large desk, charging ports and the fastest speed whole house WiFi available in the area - this suite has everything the vacationing executive will need. The other half of the suite is complimented by two tweed Churchill recliners and a new 43” OLED Fire-TV w/DirectTV. The king size bed is separated with a small partition wall from the twin bed for a little extra privacy, yet still open enough to one another so that parents can hear their little one through the night.
Back down to the main floor are two additional king bed suites with bathroom and additional laundry facilities: the Lodgepole and the Madison.
The Madison Suite has views of both the lake and Continental Divide mountain range, American made Woolrich and Ralph Lauren bedding, king size Tempur-Pedic Cloud, all new furniture and fixtures, bedside charging ports and 42" Streaming TV & DirecTV - easily the lodge's most masculine suite. This suite comes complete with walk in closet, built in vanity, black velvet lounge chair, and New Zealand Shearling rug.
Next, the Lodgepole Suite with views of the Continental Divide. Very much living up to the name, this larger suite is the lodge’s most rustic. Complete with American made Woolrich bedding, wide shearling rug, king size log bed w/Tempur-Pedic Cloud, sitting bench, lounge chair w/blanket, walk in closet with built in vanity and a 42" Streaming TV with DirecTV. This is the room to pick for a 100% authentic Yellowstone experience.
Down the stairs and located on the first floor is the Theater, 6-bed Bunk Room, 3rd bathroom, mud/locker room & extra laundry. The theater has a gas fireplace surrounded by a massive 250 yr old timber mantle, new Karastan carpet, and new furnishings. Decorated with a nod to adventure, science, exploration, and archaeology, the theater has a new immersive 75” OLED smart TV hung above the fireplace, Atmos surround sound system, DirecTV DVR with nearly every channel, and a new wireless retro arcade console with all your favorite games from the 80’s, 90's, 00's. Perhaps on those bad weather days the kids will not be the only ones playing video games!
Located behind the theater on the ground floor is the Yellowstone Bunk Room with a meadow view and 6 custom heavy and safe private bunks with built in individual charging ports/lighting - the perfect place to sleep the kids or extra adults. Featuring premium mattresses and custom lighting, no expense was spared on any detail. Warm Pendleton Woolen Mills Yellowstone Camp Blankets, fleece layers, & themed pillows adorn each bed, vintage metal and wood Yellowstone signs, and a giant Yellowstone Junior Ranger Fire Brigade themed locker room/dressing room-you won't feel like you ever even left the park. Adjoining the bunk room is a big multi-entrance bathroom with rain shower. The Bunk Room can help comfortably accommodate a packed house without the need to share beds. Including 2 slipper chairs, 43" Amazon Fire TV, and Playstation + tons of games, hi speed WiFi, and parent lockable DirectTV content. Life of Riley Lodge tries to go the extra mile by supplying a high-chair, baby gate, Pack'n'play, and enough active indoor and outdoor entertainment options so that your children are guaranteed to go to bed exhausted and content every night.
For our favorite part of the lodge though, look outside under the four giant shade sails and find the main attraction - the lakefront promenade. With a massive fire pit/bbq/lounge area and boardwalk/bonus deck, it's the largest outdoor area on Henrys Lake with steps that go right down to the water and a private beach. Kayaks, canoes, fishing gear, chopped firewood, and outdoor blankets/pillows/towels provided! 2nd outdoor kitchen with 2 XL grill beds, 2 stovetop burners, extra searing grill, lighting, mini fridge and prep table, Kamado Egg charcoal smoker/grill, duel 2-person hammocks & duel 150lb cast iron fire-pit pagodas surrounded by tons of adirondack chairs framed against 360 postcard views...you start to understand why the property is categorically superior to all others.
The fenced property bordered by mature trees is professionally manicured with lighting and is complimented by a long completely paved driveway to the highway (rare - no miles long gravel roads to get to OUR property), plus a sports court with new basketball goal. The entire view behind the cabin is the slopes and granite ridges of our section of the Continental Divide shelf. To the front of the cabin is the Centennial range and visible east are the Yellowstone and Teton National Park ranges. No other homes in the Yellowstone area have a view of all these mountain ranges except a small handful on our rare section of the north shore. As they say, location-location-location. We hope to hear from you soon!