Fog isn't the only thing keeping people away from the Peaks of Otter Lodge. A giant barrier is blocking the entrance, now that the landmark is officially closed.
Large signs that say "area closed" may not stay in place for long, thanks to new efforts by the National Park Service.
"We have reduced the amount of money it takes to get into the business," said Phil Francis, superintendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Parkway officials released a new prospectus for the lodge Monday. A prospectus is an advertisement by the park service, seeking new investors for its properties.
According to the new prospectus, anyone who takes over the lodge will no longer have to buy out the old operators. The National Park Service has paid off the amount that was owed, although officials won't say how much.
"We think it's a more profitable business now than it was in our first offering," Francis said.
The new operators will also have the option to take over just the lodge. That's a change from the prospectus that was released earlier this year, which would have required investors to take over the lodge and several other properties on the parkway.
"It looks much more realistic," said Bedford County tourism director, Sergei Troubetzkoy, who believes the new proposal will make a difference.
"We're cautiously optimistic that, this time around, they'll be able to find an operator for those facilities," Troubetzkoy said.
In just the last week, Troubetzkoy has fielded calls from people interested in taking over the lodge.
"Both of the people I spoke with are out of state," said Troubetzkoy, who answered questions posed by the interested parties. "They are not Virginia operators, but they seem to be very interested in pursuing it."
That's exactly what Parkway officials have been hoping for.
"We hope that we will find a qualified bidder and be able to open up in the spring," said Francis.
