“We want to grow at the pace that is manageable,” Gregory said.

“We don’t want explosive growth,” Gregory added. “We’re trying to keep the experience positive and good. I couldn’t put in 500 parking spaces, that’s not what the lake needs. Our neighbors around the lake probably wouldn’t appreciate that either. Some expansion is definitely in the plans for the future, and we have to go through the same process that everybody else does.”

Gregory said the average wait time to get into Lake of the Woods was about 45 minutes during July and August.

“We were parking cars on Saturday(s), just trying to find places for people,” Gregory said. “You couldn’t let somebody in until somebody would leave.

“It was a truly phenomenal summer,” Gregory added. “It’s just a good place to come and find your space. Yes, it may get really busy on Saturday and Sunday but during the week, it’s very relaxing and nice.”

“The place is just really kind of coming into its own,” he added.

Plans to expand

Gregory emphasized that he doesn’t want to see the lake push past its capacity.

Lake of the Woods Resort has submitted a long-term, master development proposal to the U.S. Forest Service to expand the footprint of the Lake of the Woods property, according to Gregory.

“It includes 50 more parking spaces in Rainbow (Bay) and some more boat slips and a new RV park,” Gregory said.

“I really don’t think we’re going to be able to do any expansion for at least a couple years. We’re hoping to finish the lodge first, and there’s quite a process to go through.”

Lake of the Woods Resort currently has 32 cabins, and the resort plans to add 19 for a total of 52 cabins in the next few years.

“As we’re doing that, that growth of 19 more cabins, we would be developing the new RV park at the same time,” Gregory said. “I don’t see that happening for a couple of years.”

Gregory is meeting with the U.S. Forest Service on Wednesday to discuss the proposal.

More RV parking

“That space between the access road and Rainbow Bay is where we’ve proposed our expansion,” Gregory said.

“There’s definitely a need for more RV parking. We’ve actually even proposed putting electricity into the campgrounds, but that hasn’t been approved by the Forest Service yet.”

Renovations and adjustments are not new for the resort, with the last major renovations conducted in winter 2014.

“We did a major remodel at the lodge,” Gregory said. “We tore down the whole back part of the building off and reconstructed it, with a second floor and with access for the upstairs.”

Space was also added to the lodge kitchen.

“We were getting so busy that the lodge kitchen was definitely inadequate for what we were doing,” Gregory said.

Preparations for winter

Gregory is preparing for his 19th winter as general manager of the resort.

“Every year that I’ve been here, we’ve done better than the last,” Gregory said, regarding the summer. “Last year was interesting because we had water and none of the other lakes had water. This year, all the other lakes had water and we were still busier.

“Our winter is scaled down considerably from what we do in the summer,” he added.

Activities have calmed down since just after Labor Day, and now the resort staff are busy preparing for winter.

“We have about 14 cabins available instead of 32,” Gregory said. “The main lodge closes mid-October.”

The marina and store are open on weekends in mid-October, as well, he said,

Sunset Campground has been winterized, a process where staff shuts off water to camp sites and ensures pipes do not freeze.

“We’ll keep Aspen Campground open until it starts snowing,” Gregory said. “When we start getting below freezing temps every night, we’ll start thinking about closing Aspen down.”

Gregory believes the weather pattern projected for this winter could mean significant snowfall for the lake and surrounding areas. But he’s not doing a snow dance yet.

“We’re hoping for, yes, good snow,” Gregory said, “but not at once. When it starts snowing, we start working and we don’t usually stop until the snow stops,” Gregory added.

“You hope for the best, you plan for the worst, you make the best of what comes along.”

To read this article and others on the H&N Website, please refer to the link below: 

Lake of the Woods on Pace for Expansion, Growth (Herald and News)