Amenities of Crow Wing Crest Lodge - MN Family VacationsNorthern Minnesota Family Lake Fishing Lodge & Resort

(Activities) or (Area Attractions)

BEACH: Our big, sandy beach (200 feet in length) and spring fed clear waters make it an ideal place to swim and sun-bathe. It's about 13' deep out at our anchored swim raft with a gradual slope to get there.

Many of our guests enjoy tubing, knee boarding and water skiing . . .

. . . sorry! but our resort does not allow jet skis (why?)

WATER FUN amenities include . . . .

four single person kayaks

two seater kayak

2 canoes

numerous row boats

bring your "floatables" - we have a big air compressor for you to blow them up

2 kid-size hand crank Paddle Wheels

4 paddle boats

Fun Bug (yep! waddle your way forward, dude!) (Source)

FOUR Hawaiian Stand-Up Paddle boards

bring your snorkel or scuba stuff - it's fresh, clear water (17' clarity on average)

sand castle toys

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(yes, we have life jackets to borrow)

Thank you Sawyers family, for this 2011 photo contest winner "watching a summer storm while enjoying the lakeside sauna and standing in the rain"

Lakeside SAUNA . . . . . .

to sweat out those toxins!
(seating 15 persons)

Need to cool off? GO JUMP IN THE LAKE!

Learn more about health benefits of a sauna.

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Sauna Sweatin' with Designated Dads -- 2003 CWC photo winner, thanks Smith family!

CAMPFIRE RINGS

Homemade benches circling several (11) campfire pits around the grounds can help assuage the primitive urge in us all.

Star gaze, listen to the loons, toast marshmallows and bring down your guitar. (Thanks for lowering voices after 10 p.m. to be respectful of others - sound carries rather well when cabin windows are open for evening breezes. It's a community, thanks for understanding!)

Bring your own firewood (locally bought ONLY please - don't bring from home to prevent invasive species spread), scavenge on the trails, or heavy bundles can be bought at the lodge for $6.

PLAYGROUNDS include

PLAY FORT with 3 slides, rock climbing wall, pulley bucket, ramp and trapeze rings (made of preservative-free natural cedar, and no splinters!)

adjacent Swing Set (view of lake!)

with pinch-free chain

and Log swings throughout grounds.

Enjoy Hillbilly Golf,

shuffleboard,

horseshoe pits,

. . . . and secret fairy doors

(some fairies go camo . . . ).

Cop a squat in the gazebo,

gaze at floor of said gazebo to orient,

volleyball bball recycle trash center near gazebo

or get active. Walk 20' to the log caddy . . .

basket ball court at Crow Wing Crest Lodge

. . . and grab a basketball for a game of 'horse' with your kid.

And then relax in the bench swing by the lodge (yes, ANOTHER swing set).

Maybe your grandkid will enjoy the mini carousel,

rides for a quarter,

(yah, yah, it's a little tempermental after 80 years, but it flies around as fast as a speeding snail, by golly!)

or try to tame a chipmunk . . .

. . . or feed the ducks,

. . . while YOU listen to gleeful giggling.

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Did we mention the volleyball sand court?

Volleyballs can be grabbed near gazebo,

badminton racquets and shuttles can be borrowed in lodge,

and water balloons for Norwegian Volleyball on Sundays will be waiting to soak you next summer. 🙂

HIKING TRAILS on-site . . .

. . . at our 33-acre resort. Smell balsam and birch, observe critters & birds in their natural setting, and get some exercise and fresh air away from the masses.

Most commonly seen critters at the resort: Chipmunks (they're everywhere!), red and gray squirrels, beaver, muskrat, otter, mink, skunk, deer, porcupine, red fox, painted turtle, snapping turtle, bats (little brown and mylar). etc. Keep your eyes open as there is always something new to see.

BIRD WATCHING

The following are birds that Big John and I have identified on-site in the last 15 years and we are not avid bird watchers, so I imagine there are tons of species here of which we're not aware. (We have lots of bird books you can borrow from the lodge)

Each cabin is equipped with either a hummingbird feeder or hanging feeder of some kind.

Click here to go to Kim's 2008 Birding Blog - marking migration patterns throughout one season.

Loon (several nesting pairs) (click to hear loons!)
Bald Eagle (seen daily)
Canadian Goose
Tundra Swans (migrate through in April and September)
Ducks
- Hooded Merganser
- Red-Breasted Merganser
- Common Merganser
- Wood
- Mallard
- Bufflehead
- Golden-eye
- Canvasback
- Cormorant
Belted or Gray Kingfisher (not sure)
Great Blue Heron (always hangin' around by the creek mouth)
Spotted Sandpiper
Killdeer
Osprey
Ruffed Grouse (they "drum" in the spring behind Cabin #7)

Hawk
- red tail
- kestrel
- merlin
Great Horned Owl
Great Gray Owl
Unidentified owls hooting (would love help to identify)
Ruby Throated Hummingbird
Red Eye Vireo (nesting above the shop)
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Black capped Chickadee
Indigo Bunting
Scarlet Tanager
American Redstart
Dark eyed Junco
Wren
Finches (Gold, Purple)
Evening Grosbeak
Pine Grosbeak
Ruby-breasted Grosbeak
Golden crown Kinglet

Warbler (yellow rumped)
Chipping Sparrow
Fox Sparrow (migrate thru)
White throated Sparrow (migrate thru)
Common Redpoll
Baltimore Oriole
Red-wing Blackbird
Cowbird
Crows & Ravens
Common Grackle
American Robin
Blue Jay
Cedar Waxwing
Bohemian Waxwing (flocks are very active)
Cardinal
Pileated Woodpecker (gawd they're loud!)
Yellow Shafted Flicker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Red-Bellied Woodpecker

Resort Amenities

(Activities) or (Area Attractions)

WATER FUN amenities include . . . .

Lakeside SAUNA . . . . . .

CAMPFIRE RINGS

PLAYGROUNDS include

HIKING TRAILS on-site . . .

BIRD WATCHING

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