BY LYNN O'ROURKE HAYES

The Dallas Morning News

Get cozy with the kids in a lodge. Here are five to consider:

1. Devil's Thumb Ranch, Tabernash, Colo. Stay in a cabin or the main lodge and stay toasty near one of 45 flickering fireplaces. Enjoy local specialties in the lodge dining room, where a three-story, three-hearth fireplace of hand-stacked stones warms winter visitors. Grab the binoculars to catch a glimpse of wildlife roaming on this 6,000-acre expanse of Colorado beauty or set out on the Nordic trails for an up-close view of winter scenes. From now through May, stay two nights and get the third night free.

Contact: 970/726-5632; devils thumbranch.com

2. Skytop Lodge, Skytop, Pa. For junior boarders and skiers, this lodge in the Poconos offers gentle, crowd-free slopes on which to learn. Kids as young as 3 can enroll in ski school. Dog mushing, tobogganing, sledding, ice-skating and cross-country skiing add to the active pursuits available on this sprawling 5,000-acre estate. Later, stretch out in the indoor pool or bubbling hot tub and get ready for game night.

Contact: 855/345-7759; skytop .com

3. Timberline Lodge, Mount Hood, Ore. Located in Oregon's Mount Hood National Forest, this magnificent lodge was built at the height of the Great Depression by unemployed craftspeople hired by the federal Works Progress Administration. Located 60 miles east of Portland, the well-crafted structure has long served as the centerpiece of this mountain playground. Take a guided, moonlit snowshoe tour, experience snowcat skiing or simply soak up the historic ambience while taking note of the extraordinary views. Ask about weekday ski-free deals.

Contact: 800/547-1406; timber linelodge.com

4. El Tovar Hotel, Grand Canyon National Park, Ariz. Open since 1905 and registered as a National Historic Landmark, this charming 78-room lodge is just steps from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Take in a nature talk, go for a mule ride or hike the famed trails that crisscross down and through the park. Marvel at the extraordinary beauty of snow falling onto the multicolored rock walls and into the canyon below.

Contact: 928/638-2631; grand canyonlodges.com

5. Whiteface Lodge, Lake Placid, N.Y. Located in the heart of the Adirondacks, this woodland lodge is spacious, with modern amenities. At the same time, it offers rustic charm, with stone chimneys, antler chandeliers and handcrafted Adirondack furnishings. Nightly family bonfires, a skating rink, cross-country and downhill skiing, snowshoeing and indoor swimming programs provide plenty to keep an active family engaged. A complimentary kids club makes it easy for adults to take advantage of the full-service spa on site.

Contact: 800/903-4045; the whitefacelodge.com