IG: National Park Service Mismanaged Lodge At Grand Teton National Park

"With sweeping views of Jackson Lake and the jaw-dropping jagged Tetons from its deck, and the historic Molesworth furniture that fronts its stone fireplace, the historic Brinkerhoff Lodge in Grand Teton National Park would likely qualify as a 5-star resort property commanding hefty rental fees.

But the National Park Service wasn't always in the habit of charging the lodge's guests, who included Vice President Joe Biden and his family, nor did it provide the safety and security for the lodge that it should have, or properly oversee the use of its "museum quality" furnishings, according to a report from the Interior Department's Inspector General's Office.

IOG investigators were asked by members of Congress to look into how the log lodge was being managed after reports surfaced last year that the vice president had stayed there for free. Vice President Biden agreed three months later to pay the Park Service $1,200 for four nights' lodging there, though that didn't mute criticism over the practice of letting guests stay in the lodge for free. But the 39-page report released last month delved into more than just nightly rental rates for the Brinkerhoff Lodge, and found some key safety issues with the lodge, particularly around fire protection and security systems."

Kurt Repanshek reports for National Parks Traveler October 15, 2015.