Turtle Lake, Wisconsin · Area guide
Lake days, winter adventures, and a place to gather.
Settle into The Northwoods Bear Lakehouse on the quiet Elbow Lake, then make the day your own. Around Turtle Lake, Wisconsin, you can spend a summer afternoon boating or fishing, follow trails above the St. Croix River, enjoy a round of golf, or head out for a winter adventure. There is just as much room for a leisurely breakfast and an evening together back at the cabin.
The Northwoods Bear Lakehouse fronts Elbow Lake, a spring-fed environmental lake with a peaceful wildlife setting. Upper Turtle Lake, Lower Turtle Lake, and Balsam Lake are separate destinations for recreational boating and fishing. Think of them as outings to add to your stay, with Elbow Lake's quiet waterfront waiting when you return. Here are a few favorite possibilities to help your group choose its own pace.
Choose your summer lake day
Pack a picnic, choose a public landing and leave time to enjoy the water. These area lakes make lovely destinations for a boating or fishing outing.
Photo: Lower Turtle Lake Association and Management District
Turtle Lake area · Boating & fishing
Upper & Lower Turtle Lakes
Upper Turtle Lake is an inviting choice for boating, pontooning, and fishing, with two public boat landings. Lower Turtle Lake offers another relaxed outing, with landings on its east and west shores and a picnic pavilion at the west landing.
Both lakes have walleye, northern pike, largemouth bass, and panfish. Choose one for the day, bring your boating or fishing gear, and make a picnic part of the plan. A single lake outing leaves plenty of time for a comfortable evening back at The Northwoods Bear Lakehouse.
Upper Turtle Lake information · Lower Turtle Lake landings
Photo: peterrieke · CC BY 2.0 · resized; display may be cropped · License
Balsam Lake · Water & a small-town meal
Balsam Lake
For a different lake-day setting, Balsam Lake offers broad water, a wooded shoreline, and six public boat landings. Anglers will find panfish, bass, northern pike, and walleye among the lake's fish species.
Make the water the centerpiece of your outing, then add a meal in town. Balsam Lake Cafe is a breakfast or lunch option, while Indianhead Supper Club offers a dinner worth making time for. It is a pleasing combination for a group that likes its outdoor plans with a good meal afterward.
Balsam Lake boating & fishing information
Make a day of winter
Snowmobiling and time on the ski hill bring a different kind of energy to a Northwoods stay. Choose the outing that suits your group, then come home to a cozy evening.
Photo: Existing Sacha Stays of Wisconsin gallery image · seasonal illustration
Turtle Lake · Winter snowmobiling
Cattail Trail & Barron County Trail 39
Cattail Trail access is directly behind The Northwoods Bear Lakehouse, connecting your stay with Barron County Trail 39. This 18-mile rail-trail corridor runs between Amery and Almena through Turtle Lake, surrounded by forests, farmland, and wildlife habitats.
Enjoy winter snowmobiling when the trails are officially open, using Barron County's maps and trail updates to plan your outing. After a day of riding, gather around the fireplace, share a meal, and settle in for the evening together.
Explore Cattail State Trail · Barron County trail maps & updates
Photo: Trollhaugen / Indy Pass
Dresser · Skiing, snowboarding & tubing
Trollhaugen
Trollhaugen offers downhill skiing, snowboarding, lessons and rentals for a lively winter day. It is a good option whether your group wants to develop new skills or spend more time on the slopes.
Snow tubing adds another seasonal way to enjoy the hill; reserve tubing in advance and choose activities suited to your participants. Finish with food at the hill or a meal at Village Pizzeria of Dresser before returning to The Northwoods Bear Lakehouse.
Trollhaugen activities, tickets & reservations
River scenery or a round of golf
Give a day to the St. Croix Dalles, or let the golfers choose an afternoon on the course. Both offer a welcome change of scene from the lake.
Photo: James St. John · CC BY 2.0 · resized; display may be cropped · License
St. Croix Falls · Scenic trails & picnics
Wisconsin Interstate State Park
Wisconsin Interstate State Park overlooks the basalt cliffs and deep river gorge of the St. Croix Dalles. Follow park trails for memorable river views, find a spot for a picnic, and visit the Ice Age Interpretive Center for a closer look at Wisconsin's glacial history.
Established in 1900, this is Wisconsin's oldest state park. Make the scenery the focus rather than filling the day with stops, and arrange your Wisconsin vehicle admission sticker as part of planning the visit.
Plan your Wisconsin Interstate State Park visit
Photo: Amery Golf Club
Amery · An afternoon on the course
Amery Golf Club
Amery Golf Club's 18-hole course brings together rolling hills, woods and water, with five sets of tees to help golfers choose their round. A driving range and practice putting green offer a warm-up before heading out.
The course is walkable, with carts available to reserve, and the clubhouse makes a relaxed stop for food and a drink afterward. Set aside a day for the golfers in your group while others enjoy their own plans back at the lakehouse.
Explore Amery Golf Club · Book a tee time
A good meal, an easy evening
Keep dinner close to town, linger over Wisconsin cooking or choose an optional adults-only night out. There is no need to make every evening a big occasion.
Turtle Lake · Local dining
Turtle Lake dining & small-town stops
Hotel Bar & Grill is a longtime downtown pub serving hearty Wisconsin cooking, lunch specials, and homemade soups. The New Frontier offers casual family dining for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, along with to-go orders.
Choose a sit-down meal after a lake outing, or bring dinner back and gather around the lakehouse table. These are simple, welcoming options for the days when your group would rather enjoy one another's company than make an elaborate plan.
Hotel Bar & Grill · Explore Turtle Lake dining
Turtle Lake · Optional evening out · 21+
St. Croix Casino Turtle Lake
For adults looking for an evening out, St. Croix Casino Turtle Lake offers dining and scheduled entertainment alongside gaming. The venue is 21+, making it an optional plan for the adults in your group rather than a family outing.
Browse the current dining choices and entertainment calendar to see what appeals. Keep it as an addition to your getaway, with lake days, outdoor adventures and time together at The Northwoods Bear Lakehouse at the heart of your stay.
St. Croix Casino Turtle Lake dining & entertainment
Three ways to enjoy your stay
01 · Make time for this
A lake day without rushing
Start with breakfast together, then choose Upper or Lower Turtle Lake for boating or fishing. Pack lunch, or use Lower Turtle Lake's west-landing picnic pavilion for a pause. Finish with The New Frontier or Hotel Bar & Grill, then return to Elbow Lake for a quiet evening.
02 · Make time for this
River views & a Wisconsin meal
Make Wisconsin Interstate State Park the day's main outing. Choose trails that suit your group, enjoy the Dalles scenery, and add the Ice Age Interpretive Center. Bring a picnic, or finish with a meal at Logger's Bar & Grill or The Dalles House in St. Croix Falls.
03 · Make time for this
Snow time & a cozy return
Choose Trollhaugen for skiing, snowboarding or reserved tubing. Snowmobile groups can instead plan a winter outing on the Cattail Trail and Barron County Trail 39 from behind the lakehouse. Leave the evening open for a local meal, games, and a comfortable gathering around the fireplace.
A little inspiration before you plan
Which lake is The Northwoods Bear Lakehouse on?
The Northwoods Bear Lakehouse is waterfront on Elbow Lake, a spring-fed environmental lake and quiet wildlife setting. Upper Turtle Lake, Lower Turtle Lake, and Balsam Lake are separate area destinations for recreational boating and fishing.
What are good things to do around Turtle Lake with a family or group?
Mix a lake outing with scenic trails at Wisconsin Interstate State Park, local dining or a round at Amery Golf Club. In winter, Trollhaugen adds skiing, snowboarding, and seasonal tubing. Choose one main outing each day and leave time to relax together.
Where can snowmobilers access the trail near the lakehouse?
Cattail Trail access is directly behind The Northwoods Bear Lakehouse, connecting your stay with Barron County Trail 39. It is a convenient home base for a winter snowmobile getaway; use the official county trail map and current conditions linked above to plan your ride.
Your Turtle Lake home base
Make room for a Northwoods getaway.
Bring your favorite people to The Northwoods Bear Lakehouse, your quiet Elbow Lake home base. With room for up to 10, four bedrooms, a loft queen futon, and three full bathrooms, there is space to settle in comfortably after a day exploring the area.
Share meals around a table that seats 10, enjoy the lake-view living space, or gather at the fire pit with complimentary firewood. Choose lake days, winter adventures, and a few slower moments, then make the stay your own.
Explore The Northwoods Bear Lakehouse & Check Dates →
Call Carol & Andy: 608-957-7545 · Read our guest FAQs
Seasonal activities follow current weather and opening schedules. Use the official links to plan lake access, park visits, dining, and reservations, and check Barron County's current trail status before riding.