The chair lifts are gone, and the Bavaria-themed lodge has fallen into disrepair.
Val Chatel was once a thriving ski resort in the Mississippi River headwaters near Park Rapids. Nestled in the forested hills around Deep Lake, it was a popular site for wedding receptions as well as short downhill runs.
Now it's taking on a new life, this time as a park aimed at preserving its woods, lakes and wetlands. With help from an anonymous Minnesota donor, the San Francisco-based Trust for Public Land bought the 352-acre property from a group of investors for $1.8 million and then donated it to Hubbard County. The sale closed March 7.
