Lozeau Lodge: Renovated and ready for success

SUPERIOR – When Ann Troutman and her husband bought what became the Lozeau Lodge, it was in serious need of help. Now, approximately five years later, their hard work has paid off as the property has been renewed.

When they bought the property, it had been vacant for a long time. The forest had moved in as trees and weeds grew over the landscape. The parking area and spaces between cabins was also very rough and difficult to travel over.

Seeing the potential in the property, the Troutmans began putting their blood, sweat and tears into restoring it. They started by clearing out the area and cutting overgrown brush back from the buildings. After everything had been cleared, they chipped the cuttings and lined the walking trail through the woods.

In the name of safety, convenience and appearance, the Troutmans worked to smooth out the terrain. Ann said the goal was to make the ground smoother and easier for people to walk on. A side effect of this was the construction of a small putting green for guests to enjoy.

In the process of leveling the terrain, rocks were removed. These were put to the side and later used to build the lodge’s labyrinth. Ann said labyrinths had become very popular throughout today’s society and were a good way for people to meditate or get lost in thought.

“People can just walk and think without having to get out and go down a road or some dangerous thing,” Ann said. “They can get some exercise and release their mind because they’re just following a labyrinth circle.”

She said the work took lots of coordination. They needed to hire help to remove the stones. The owners also needed to have dirt brought in to level out the ground. To help the environment recover and keep the area from looking too artificial, Ann had grass seed as well as other plants brought in to be planted around the property.

She and her husband worked with the weed district to get the plants naturally found in the area. Ann specifically avoided getting any noxious weeds, which might take over and ruin the area.

Some of the plants the Troutmans planted were not solely to help the land recover. The owners planted a garden where they could get fresh herbs, berries and vegetables. This has made them quite popular with local wildlife.

“We’ve got to figure out how to either share with the birds or beat the birds to them,” Ann said.

According to Ann, even before landscaping, their first project was to put roofs on the cabins. While the buildings were not open to the air, they only had wood roofing, which was easily damaged by the elements. They quickly arranged to replace the roofs with sheets of metal.

After the outside of the cabins were restored, the Troutmans turned their attention to the interior of the buildings. Ann said the logs on the inside of the building never had finish applied. The owners had to sand down the insides and put varnish on to stain the wood.

“We had to do every log in every building,” Ann said. “We had to do them inside and out.”

The Troutmans continue to improve the property and resort. Ann said they want to add more buildings to give people a place to hold wedding ceremonies. They also want to improve the fishpond on the property.

The pond is currently inactive. The Troutmans plan to create a waterfall feature with the pond. Koi or other decorative fish would live in the lake with a heater to keep everything warm enough so it does not freeze.

Ann estimated these projects would likely take the rest of the summer to complete.

The efforts to refurbish the property have been working. Last weekend the lodge was completely sold out on space. Ann said they had been booked out for several weekends this spring and summer.

“Considering it’s just our third season, it’s getting pretty popular,” Ann said. “It’s high quality. It’s not just something people have to endure, they actually enjoy it.”

Ann predicted this would be their busiest year so far. With only three cabins, space is limited and a busy year would require them to turn people away. Alternatively the Troutmans could double up the cabins and give the cabins a little closer living conditions.

In five short years, the area has been transformed. From an area well on its way to being reclaimed by nature, the Lozeau Lodge property has become a popular resort for people all across the country to come to.

More information on Lozeau Lodge can be found on Facebook or their website, lozeaulodgemontana.com.