You're driving along Highway 2, tucked between the southern tip of Glacier National Park and the Great Bear Wilderness, and suddenly, there it is. Essex. It isn't really a town in the way most people think of one. No stoplights. No grocery store. Just a cluster of houses and a massive, Tudor-style hotel that looks like it was plucked out of the Swiss Alps and dropped into the Montana larch trees. This is the Izaak Walton Inn, and if you’ve spent any time in the railfan or hiking communities, you know this place is legendary.
But things are different now.
If you haven't been in a couple of years, the vibe has shifted. The property was purchased by LOGE Camps in late 2022, and for the locals and long-time pilgrims who have been coming here since the 70s, that change felt like a tectonic shift. People used to come here specifically because it felt frozen in time. You’d sit in the lobby, the smell of old wood and diesel fuel in the air, watching the Great Northern Railway (now BNSF) freight trains roar past just yards from the front door. It was gritty. It was authentic. Now, it’s leaning into a more modern "boutique" outdoor experience.
Is it better? That depends on who you ask.
What Actually Makes the Izaak Walton Inn Special?
Honestly, it’s the trains. It has always been the trains.
The inn was built in 1939 by the Great Northern Railway. Back then, they needed a place to house the "helper" crews—the guys whose entire job was to attach extra locomotives to trains so they could grunt their way over Marias Pass. It was never intended to be a luxury resort. It was a workspace. That industrial DNA is still there, baked into the floorboards.
Essex is one of the few places in America where the train is still the primary way people arrive. The Amtrak Empire Builder stops right there. You step off the train, walk across a small bridge, and you're at the check-in desk. There is something deeply romantic about that, especially in an era where everyone is stuck in rental car lines at Kalispell or Missoula.
The accommodation options are... weird. In a good way. You have the standard rooms in the main lodge, which are famously small because, well, they were built for railroad workers in the 30s. Then you have the cabins. But the real draw—the thing that fills up months in advance—are the refurbished cabooses and the luxury railcar suites.
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Imagine sleeping in a transformed 1940s Great Northern 441 locomotive. It’s got a kitchen, a master bedroom, and oak paneling. It's cool. Really cool. But you have to be okay with the noise. This is a working rail line. When a mile-long freight train rolls through at 3:00 AM, the ground shakes. The windows rattle. If you’re a light sleeper, you’re going to have a bad time. If you’re a railfan, it’s a lullaby.
The LOGE Acquisition and the "New" Essex
When LOGE Camps took over from the longtime owners, the Kelly family, the "Save Essex" whispers started immediately. LOGE specializes in taking older, slightly run-down motels and turning them into hubs for "active" travelers—think gear rentals, communal fire pits, and a lot of branded merch.
The renovation process has been extensive. They’ve updated the tavern and the dining room, and they are leaning heavily into the "basecamp" concept.
The fear among the old-timers is "Aspen-ization." Essex has always been the anti-Whitefish. Whitefish is where you go for the $18 cocktails and the boutiques. Essex is where you go to get muddy, lose cell service, and drink a cold Rainier while looking at a topographic map.
Current reports from visitors suggest the renovations have modernized the amenities without (totally) gutting the soul of the place. The WiFi actually works now—which is a blessing or a curse depending on why you’re there. The Dining Car restaurant is still the focal point for meals, though the menu has seen a shift toward more contemporary "mountain" fare. Think less "heavy gravy and mash" and more "locally sourced greens and elk burgers."
Survival Guide: Winter vs. Summer in Essex
Essex is a bi-polar destination.
In the summer, it’s a gateway to the Walton Ranger Station and the southern reaches of Glacier National Park. You can hike the Scalplock Lookout trail, which gives you a staggering view of the park’s peaks, or explore the Middle Fork of the Flathead River. It’s quieter than the West Glacier entrance. Way quieter. You don’t have to deal with the same level of "Going-to-the-Sun Road" vehicle reservation madness, though you still need to be bear-aware. This is prime grizzly territory. No joke.
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In the winter, the Izaak Walton Inn transforms into a cross-country skiing mecca.
They maintain about 30 kilometers of groomed Nordic trails. The terrain varies from "flat and easy" around the meadow to "I think I might die" on the steeper loops through the forest. There is a specific kind of silence that happens in Essex in January. The snow muffles everything except the distant hum of a locomotive idling in the yard.
One thing most people get wrong: they assume because it's "near" Glacier, they can just pop over to the Highline Trail. You can't. The drive from Essex to the main park hubs is significant. You are isolated. That is the point. If you aren't prepared to be self-sufficient for a few days, Essex will feel small very quickly.
The Logistics Most People Ignore
Getting to the Izaak Walton Inn isn't like going to a Marriott.
- The Amtrak Factor: The Empire Builder stops twice a day—once eastbound and once westbound. If the train is delayed (which, let’s be real, it often is), your check-in time goes out the window.
- Connectivity: Cell service is basically non-existent once you turn off the main highway. The Inn has WiFi, but if you’re planning on taking Zoom calls all day, you’re missing the point of being here.
- Provisions: There is no "quick run to the store." The nearest real grocery store is in Hungry Horse or Columbia Falls, which is a 45-minute to hour-long drive depending on the weather. If you're staying in a caboose with a kitchen, buy your steaks and beer before you head up the canyon.
Is it Worth the Price Tag?
Let's be blunt. Staying here isn't cheap anymore. The novelty of sleeping in a train car comes with a premium. You are paying for the atmosphere, the history, and the access to the wilderness.
For some, the lack of "polished" luxury is a dealbreaker. If you want a spa and a valet, stay in Kalispell. If you want to sit on a deck, watch a herd of elk cross the tracks, and feel the raw power of a BNSF engine vibrating in your chest, then yes, it's worth every penny.
The Izaak Walton Inn is a survivor. It survived the decline of the Great Northern, the rise of the Interstate, and the boom-and-bust cycles of Montana tourism. Whether the new ownership can maintain that delicate balance between "cool enough for influencers" and "authentic enough for mountain men" remains the big question.
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How to Do Essex Right
If you're planning a trip, don't just book a room and show up. You have to approach Essex with a bit of a plan, or you'll end up sitting in the lobby wondering why there's nothing to do.
First, check the train schedules. Even if you aren't a "train person," knowing when the Empire Builder arrives adds a layer of rhythm to the stay. Go down to the platform. Watch the baggage handling. It's one of the last places where the American rail tradition feels alive.
Second, if you're hiking, talk to the staff about the Dickey Lake or Stanton Lake trails. They are less crowded than anything you'll find in the heart of Glacier National Park.
Third, embrace the disconnect. Put the phone in the bag. The Izaak Walton Inn is at its best when you are forced to engage with the environment. Read a book by the fire. Stare at the mountain goats on the cliffs across the river.
The reality is that places like the Izaak Walton Inn are disappearing. The "rough around the edges" Montana is being smoothed over by developers. Essex is one of the last holdouts. It's a bit louder, a bit more isolated, and a bit more "real" than the rest of the state's tourist traps.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Visit
- Book the Caboose early. If you want a specific railcar (like the Orange Great Northern or the Locomotive), you need to look 6-9 months out, especially for summer weekends.
- Pack for "The Canyon." The weather in Essex is often 10 degrees colder and significantly wetter than in Kalispell. Bring a hardshell jacket even in July.
- Check the BNSF Activity. If you are a photographer, bring a long lens. The trestles around Essex offer some of the most iconic railway photography spots in North America.
- Buy a Bear Spray. Don't rent one. Buy one. If you're walking the trails around the inn, you are in a high-density grizzly corridor.
- Plan your meals. If the Dining Car is full or you want a change of pace, your options are limited. Bring a cooler with high-quality snacks and breakfast items to avoid the "resort tax" on every single meal.
The Izaak Walton Inn isn't just a hotel; it's a piece of Montana's industrial soul. Go there before it changes any more, but go there with the right expectations. It's loud, it's lonely, and it's absolutely spectacular.