Two Elk Lodge is situated at the summit of Vail Mountain, and at 11,240 feet elevation it commands unobstructed views of the Gore Range, Mount of the Holy Cross, and China Bowl. The 28,500 square-foot restaurant is a self-supported, scramble-style cafeteria with seating for 925 patrons on three separate tiers. Also offered is additional seating adjacent to an outdoor barbecue.
The interior design of Two Elk Lodge features the same turned log columns and beams used on the exterior, highlighted with steel hardware—such as cross-bracing, turnbuckles, and connections—to emphasize the structural expression. The interior finishes of this popular day lodge are meant to be warm and inviting to comfort guests as they come in from a cold day of skiing the famed Back Bowls. The geometric patterns used for the carpeting, tile, and signage are reminiscent of local Native American motifs from the southwest United States.
Two Elk Lodge received the 1991 Eagle Valley Home Builders Association Award for Best Interior Design and the 1992 Snow Country Magazine Award for Honorable Mention, Day Lodge Category.
