Bear Lake Glamping Resort wraps up second season of luxury camping.

• Author: Biton, Adva
• Position: Around Utah

Garden City -- In Northern Utah, overlooking Bear Lake, is a sight many visitors may not expect. Slightly secluded and off the main road is a circle of covered wagons and a campus of large canvas tents: CONESTOGA RANCH, Bear Lake's glamour camping (glamping) resort. Conestoga Ranch just finished its second summer in operation, and business has been booming, said Steve Arnold, general manager.

"I think in the second year we were really able to figure out what we needed to have to provide the experience that we wanted," said Arnold. "We base ourselves around the American Safari Experience--we've upped our amenities and service."

The resort looks a little like the Hollywood version of an old Western camp-unzip the thick canvas of your tent and within is a king-size bed with plush blankets and pillows, a large area rug, and in some tents, a separate bathroom area with a tin bathtub and basin sink.

To keep the American Safari theme running, Conestoga Ranch goes out of its way to give patrons the full American West experience. Each of the bigger tents has its own fire pit, and check-in comes with a s'mores kit. If you come to dine at the Campfire Grill on the weekends, there's almost always a cowboy or two crooning. There's even a local rancher, Heber Dunford, (whom Arnold and the crew call Uncle Heber) who comes in on the weekends to teach children how to rope.

"He'll take an hour or so, play with the kids, and teach them how to rope. He'll go fire to fire talking to people about this area, the West, and the pioneers. He's an old time rancher, himself," said Arnold. "He also sings fireside songs."

There's plenty else to do at Conestoga Ranch, as...