The Izaak Walton Inn, a historic railroad lodge at the edge of Glacier National Park in Montana, will close on March 1, as a result of “significant” financial issues for its Washington-based owner. 

The Flathead Beacon reports that LOGE Camps, which has owned the lodge since 2022, is shutting down all of its properties after its board of directors decided the company lacked enough funds to keep operating. Although the company hasn’t made any official statements about its situation, except to say that some properties would close, internal emails reviewed by the newspaper showed that the company was in serious financial trouble. 

The lodge is situated along BNSF Railway’s former Great Northern Railway main line through northwest Montana and has long been a favorite among railroad enthusiasts. The GN partnered with the Addison Miller Company to build the hotel in 1939 to accommodate the crews needed to keep its main line over Marias Pass open during winter. In recent years, the mountain hamlet has become a popular spot for cross-country skiers, although the railroad still houses crews at the inn to support winter operations. Along with the historic hotel, several cabooses and an EMD F45 have been converted into cabins on the grounds. Amtrak’s Empire Builder also stops near the inn.

After LOGE Camps bought the inn in 2022, it underwent a major renovation before reopening in late 2024. 

—Justin Franz