This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Many travelers have favorite places where they go back again and again when they are on the road.

In Utah, for example, I always have to stop at Ray's Tavern in Green River for a burger any time I'm near there. I love going to Maddox in Perry, the Little Wonder in Richfield, or the Kan Run in Beaver.

I never consider a trip to Yellowstone complete without having dinner or lunch at the historic Mammoth Dining Room. Some Yellowstone lovers like Old Faithful or the great Lake Hotel. Those are good. But there is just something about Mammoth I like.

Maybe it is that it feels light inside. Perhaps it is because of the place's history and spot next to park headquarters. The food is always good and so is the service. For some reason, the prices never seem that much more expensive than the nearby fast food place.

So I was pleased to see a news release come to me recently saying that the Mammoth Dining Room is the first restaurant in the national park system to ever earn the coveted 4-Star Green Restaurant Association certification.

The GRA is a national non-profit organization that, according to the release, provides a cost-effective way for restaurants to demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability. It is one of only 25 restaurants in the world to hold this rating.

Criteria to get the rating include energy, water, waste, disposables, chemicals, pollution reductions, furnishings and building materials.

The venerable lodge earned the rating through a major rest room remodel, installation of LED lamps and water-saving fixtures, sourcing of local and organic cuisine, recycling and composting restaurant waste, and using environmentally-preferable cleaning products.

Besides, in my humble opinion, the food and service are great.