Castle Valley is a town without a commercial zone. Any businesses here are hidden in homes, where residents work in various cottage industries. Community gatherings take place at the Mormon church, where they hold monthly potlucks for anyone who wants to go, not just members of that faith. Or residents gather at the local fire station, staffed entirely by volunteers.

It's dubious whether commercial businesses are in Castle Valley's future. For the time being, visitors of this small town mostly go to hike the trails leading to rock formations and canyons, or they drive by on the scenic La Sal Loop road. The two businesses that exist are a good pair.

Round Mountain Vineyards & Winery is a small wine business that is growing as demand increases (and the demands of the odd liquor laws in Utah allows). Co-owners Mark Webster and Jeff Anderson welcome visitors into their tasting room year-round, where you can sample their Chardonnay.

Each year the business partners have a critical period during which they have to harvest the grapes. Since there are only the two of them, they rely on the help of residents who work for a day's wages, plucking grapes from the vines (sans "I Love Lucy"-style opportunities). Anderson says many people choose to donate their wages to the Castle Valley Scholarship program. The scholarship was set up by an anonymous person and is given to

The other business is Castle Valley Inn - the gem of the town. Years ago the town banned bed-and-breakfast operations. But the Inn, already in existence, was grandfathered in. Owners Mary and Jim Germain bought the B&B in December 2006. The duo was ready to retire from the hyper-active city of Las Vegas, where they lived for the past three decades.

For a few years, they kept a watch on the Internet for available B&Bs. When Castle Valley opened, Mary says, the pieces fell into place. They took over the inn during the winter and spent time renovating certain parts of it. Earlier this spring they moved to Castle Valley full-time.

The Inn is surrounded by a lush orchard, often dotted with mule deer (and indescribably adorable fawns this time of year), turkeys, hummingbirds, magpies, and the occasional bear and mountain lion. From the breakfast deck, where the Germains serve an ample breakfast ranging from savory sausage and eggs to sweet variations of French toast and fresh fruit, guests have a magnificent view of the 400-foot Castleton Tower.

Castle Valley Inn is a wooden home accompanied by three bungalows. Rooms are tastefully decorated, immaculate and comforting after a day spent indulging your chosen outdoor recreation. Rooms have a tidy white robe for you to use while ferrying to and from the outdoor Jacuzzi. Besides ensuring top service and cozy accommodations, the Germains help guests see the best of the red rock area.

Reservations for a room or cabin at Castle Valley can be made by calling (435) 259-6012 or on the inn's Web site at www.castlevalleyinn.com.- A.M.

The Deseret News
April 13, 2003
By Susan Whitney

Best view from a hot tub: Castle Valley Inn, northeast of Moab. Some people like to hot tub in the morning, when views of the nearby cliff are at their best.   Others like the view at night. We vote with the latter group. You can see the cliff from the breakfast table in the morning, but at night, oh, the stars, the stars, the stars.

Cost for the hot tub: Free with the room. Bungalows run from $160 to $175 per night and rooms in the main house begin at $90 ($75 in winter). On a Sunday night in January, we were the only guests. Plan to arrive before dark and follow the signs from U-128 in Castle Valley. 888-466-6012.

The Advocate & Greenwich Time
Sunday, March 23, 1997
Travel section - page E5
By Alfred Lubrano Knight
Ridder Newspapers

After New Mexico, we drove to Moab, Utah and my wife's favorite place in the world, the Castle Valley Inn. Fifteen-and-a-half miles from the nearest gas station, via a gorgeous two-lane highway in a red-rock canyon cut by the Colorado River, this B&B is out there on the dusty edge of civilization, where lawn mowers dare not roll.

The place serves wonderful breakfast as part of the fee, and even packs sandwiches for guests who hike in nearby Arches and Canyonland National Parks.

We stay in a small cabin away from the main house. After getting cozy, we pop a movie into the VCR, then fall asleep listening to the high desert night sounds.

Smart Money
April, 1998
Page 190 & 192
Moab, Utah

IT'S ALMOST LIKE being on another planet. With surreal, undisturbed rocky terrain, what could be more of an escape than the middle of the Utah desert? Framed by millions of acres of public land, the red-dish-brown Colorado River and various mesas, buttes and impossibly balanced rock formations, Moab is at the heart of natural wonder.

But, surprisingly, getting there is easy: Either fly to Salt Lake City and take one of the daily flights on Alpine Airlines to Canyonlands Airport (20 miles north of Moab) or drive the easy four-hour stretch. From the Colorado side, it's a two-hour hop from Grand Junction. Whichever way you go, the scenery en route is simply amazing. (Potash Rd.)

On the way, take a slight detour to Route 279 to marvel at the petroglyphs - Native American art scraped into the cliffs dating back a thousand years - and then turn your eyes to the ground to spy for any prehistoric dinosaur tracks. (They're there, if you can find them.) Five miles north of town is Arches National Park, one of two national parks nearby (the other being Canyonlands) and worth a day's exploration, at the very least. One look at Delicate arch, a giant, stone Noguchi-like marvel soaring 45-feet high, and you'll wonder if the ancient Anasazi Indians had their own version of McDonald's.

As the largest town in this stunning area, Moab is lately suffering from the effects of rapid tourist expansion - Main Street has a few too many knickknack shops and neon motel signs. But you can drive 30 minutes from downtown on Route 128 to Castle Valley Inn (435-259-6012) which is surrounded by towering red cliffs. The trip there alone is worth it - the road lies alongside the Colorado River Gorge, with 1,000 feet of canyon walls rising above it. Rooms adorned with Navajo art, cost $95 to $130; private bungalows, $155.

Utah Business Magazine
ACHIEVING BALANCE at the Castle Valley Inn
Marjorie McClay
Entertainment
March, 1997 - Page 68

From the ground, the summit of Castleton Tower looks, well, a bit queasy-stomachish.

You can imagine the dizzying sense of vertigo, the clutch of the belly you'd feel standing on top, with the ground falling away hundreds of feet in every direction. But looks can be deceiving. The summit of the slender, 400-foot spire is as spacious as a two-car garage. You could sleep up there if you wanted , and some do - a walled bivouac site is tucked cozily into a cranny, ever-ready for the next guest.

Or you could sleep in the Castle Valley Inn Bed and Breakfast.

You can see the Inn from the summit. Your eye is drawn to it because it's surrounded by an orchard, a lush swath of green in the center of the deep red Castle Valley. The wood-frame house and accompanying bungalows are nearly lost in the grand sweep of land: the snowy La Sal Mountains to the south; the gothic buttes and spires that give Castle Valley its name; the endlessly detailed runnels, mounds and canyons that form the undulating valley floor. But because you've been climbing all day, because you're hungry and dirty and tired, the Inn and its surroundings don't disappear at all. They shimmer and beckon like Oz.

Four double-rope rappels off Castleton and an hour down the steep scree slope put you at the same elevation as the Inn, where your private bungalow with fresh flowers is awaiting you. If you want a view of the Tower, ask for the Hovensweep Bungalow; You can see the whole stretch of Castleton and, if your timing is right, the moon rising over it, without even getting out of bed. Each bungalow has a fully equipped kitchen, so, if cooking (or privacy) is your thing, you can build your own feast.

You may want to kick back in the open-air jacuzzi, watch a video (great selection) in the main house, hobnob with other guests, gaze into the fire, or just sit on your bungalow balcony and lose yourself in stars so thick you can barely see the black.

Castle Valley is about 15 miles north of Moab, just off the scenic River Road. For climbers the valley is a Mecca of sorts: Castleton Tower is featured in the venerable Fifty Classic Climbs of North America,, and several other nearby spires have been drawing pursuers of the vertical for decades. But you don't have to spend your days jamming cracks to appreciate the area. Hiking and mountain-biking trails are everywhere. You can even float your way to ecstasy on the sturdy Colorado River.

Hikers should head first to Arches National Park. You can't beat the scenery, and well-marked trails of every length lead to some of the more spectacular formations. The rugged, primitive trail through Devil's Garden will give you more of a feel of isolation than some of the other paths. Closer to the Inn - about six miles north on Route 128 - is Fisher Valley. A4.5 mile loop trail weaves you around the Fisher Towers. Some say the place is magical, and it doesn't take much imagination to get into that mindset yourself.

If it's mountain biking you're after, follow your nose down any dirt road, or head into Moab for specific information. (Ask at Rim Cyclery; 94 West 1st North, 801-259-5333.) The famous Porcupine Rim Trail skirts the east side of Castle Valley at one point; as you look out at the fruit trees below, you may fantasize a sweet succulent apricot sliding down your dusty throat.

Or better still, don't fantasize. The Inn's just the soft spot you need on a rough, rugged day. Utah's desert is many fabulous things, but soft it ain't. Fresh flowers, a big comfy bed with extra pillows and no-calories-barred home-cooked breakfasts are the yin to the yang.

And everyone knows how good a balanced life is for you.

FIVE STAR DETAILS

Fresh flowers, thick towels, terry-cloth robes and slippers. Jacuzzi and 5 acres of landscaped grounds with benches, shade trees and its paths. Tasty,healthy food in no-scrimp portions. Fresh produce (with six varieties of fruit trees, there's fruit from mid-July through September; guests are encouraged to pick their fill), and year-round greenhouses for fresh herbs and salad greens. Eight rooms with private baths ($90 to $125) in main house; three bungalows with kitchenettes ($150). Breakfast included.

For reservations, call (801)259-6012.

Eco Traveler

Great Getaways Southwest
Red Rock Retreat
Utah
Deborah Hoffman
May/June 1996 Page 49 & 50

VIEWS FROM A HOT TUB AND HAMMOCK.

The most memorable part of my Southwest vacation was watching a family of mule deer graze the grounds of Utah's Castle Valley Inn as the setting sun turned surrounding buttes and rock formations a dazzling, unabashed red.

The Castle Valley Inn, which is a half hour's drive from Moab, is an ideal hideaway for mountain bikers, hikers, river rafters and anybody interested in exploring eleven 5 acres of lawn, fields and orchards tucked into a pastoral valley. There are opportunities for wildlife-viewing, photography, walking, hot tubing and daydreaming without ever leaving the grounds.

Five minutes to the north, the Colorado River thrills whitewater enthusiasts. Networks or bike trails cover the region; the most adventurous can test their fat tires on the famed Slickrock Bike Trail. Although the area attracts many tourists, it's easy to escape the crowds.

For instance, on weekdays the nearby Fisher Towers Trail often is deserted. Just 4.5 miles round trip, you can follow a route around gigantic red rock spires, the tallest of which - the Titan - soars more than 900 feet from its base. At the top you're rewarded with a panorama of the La Sal Mountains and the Colorado gorge.

I also like to explore Edward Abbey country at Arches National Park. The other - worldly formations of over 90 natural sandstone arches are best seen in spring and fall, when temperatures are moderate. At Dead Horse Point State Park - about an hour away - you can see exactly where Thelma and Louise met their end!

The Inn itself has five rooms in the main house which range from $90 to $130; three bungalows with kitchenettes are $155 each. All include breakfast. Contact Castle Valley Inn, CVSR 2602, Moab, UT 84532; phone (801) 259-6012.

Note: All articles & reviews have been edited for content specific to Castle Valley Inn
 

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