Park studies leases for Lake McDonald cabins

Glacier National Park officials are contemplating the idea of leasing several historic cabins along the shores of Lake McDonald.

The park first floated the idea back in 2011, but a formal environmental analysis of the program should be released in the coming months.

The park has identified several cabins that could be used in the program.

The leases would likely be long-term — 60 years — because many of the cabins need significant work. It’s difficult, if not impossible, for a leaseholder to get a loan for repairs without a long-term lease, according to Mary Riddle, chief of planning and environmental compliance for the Park.

The park would like to have historic leases at Kelly camp, the Wheeler cabins, Greve’s auto camp, the Grisley cabin, the Moberly property and the Fox cabin. The Johnson cabin, which is about halfway up the lake on the south side, is slated for removal.

The Wheeler cabin, formerly owned by heirs of U.S. Sen. Burton K. Wheeler, could become a retreat and educational center for a nonprofit entity. The Glacier Institute has been in talks with the Park Service on that possibility.

Some cabins could be leased as a concession and made as vacation rentals. The Greve’s auto camp, for example, is a complex of cabins that could be used for such a purpose.

The park received emergency funding this summer to put new roofs on the remaining cabins at Greve’s after a windstorm sent trees crashing down on the structures.

Most of the cabins the park is considering for the program have fabulous views.