History

The past 100 years have given us the experience to make every detail of your lake vacation memorable and relaxing.

Prior to the year 1920, what are now the resort grounds were a hay meadow. The owners of this land — August Schauer and his family — found the nice sandy beach just the right place to build some cabins. August Schauer’s descendants still live in the area.

Cabins 1, 2, and 3 were the first units built, with an innerspring mattress and a wood stove. They rented for three dollars per night. Guests would arrive in Villard on the Northern Pacific Railway.

Around 1952 to 1958, the resort was owned by the Seabloom family, who rented hotel rooms located on the west side of the resort.

Sometime in the mid 1950s, Wallace Heidelberger and his family purchased the resort. The Heidelbergers brought electricity to the cabins, added the first 25 campsites, and built restrooms onto the cabins. The resort remained in this family until 2004, when it was sold to the Krafts.

The Krafts & Olschlagers added the Finch House, replaced original cabins with new, larger vacation homes, and added over 40 seasonal campsites, a new Lodge and storm shelter, a new Event Center, and a larger boat parking area.

In 2019, the Jestus family purchased Canary Beach Resort and continues to uphold the legacy of this beautiful resort and campground.