Whitefish Chain of Lakes

For fishing, boating and relaxation, there is perhaps no better spot on earth than the Whitefish Chain of Lakes located in the famous Brainerd Lakes area of northern Minnesota. In total, the Whitefish Chain is comprised of fourteen separate lakes, all brimming with walleye, perch, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, bluegill, bowfin, shiner, red horse, sunfish, crappie and northern pike. Some of the lakes in the Whitefish Chain include Arrowhead lake, Bertha lake, Big Trout lake, Clamshell lake, Cross lake, Daggett lake, Hen lake, Island lake, Little Pine lake, Lower Hay lake, Lower Whitefish lake, Pig lake, Rush lake and Upper Whitefish lake. Whitefish Lake, the largest in the Whitefish Chain, is 7,370 acres in size. In total the Whitefish Chain spans 14,000 acres with a maximum depth of 140 feet. The closest town is Crosslake, Minnesota but the communities of Brainerd and Baxter are also easily accessible. If you are looking for peace and undisturbed solitude amidst quiet beauty, the Whitefish Chain is the ideal vacation destination for you.

Families visiting the Whitefish Chain region will delight in the wide variety of amusement possibilities. Go-karts, horseback riding, and hot rodding all provide excellent diversions for young and old alike. Challenge your kids to a game of miniature golf at the Whistling Wolf miniature golf course. Golf aficionados will enjoy the sprawling golf courses of this scenic region, including the world class Whitefish Golf Club located in nearby Pequot Lakes. Even golfing novices can sign up to take a lesson or two on the greens of this splendid, legendary course. Exploring museums, such as Crosslake’s Historic Log Village or Brainerd’s Crow Wing County Historical Society and Museum, allows visitors to gain a deeper insight and understanding into the rich cultural background of both the Native Americans and the settlers of the north-central Minnesota region. Local towns such as Brainerd, Crosslake and Pequot Lakes offer a wide variety of gift and antique shops with unique, one-of-a-kind merchandise. For evening entertainment, be sure to check out the numerous nightclubs, casinos and picturesque taverns of the local towns and communities.

With the untouched landscape, the Whitefish Chain is an ideal spot for hiking, boating, fishing, bird watching, hunting, snowmobiling, skiing and biking. In spring, arrange a canoe or rafting trip down the Pine River. While exploring the beauty of the forests, lakes and streams, you may even be able to catch a glimpse of wildlife such as white-tailed deer, eagles, ospreys, otters, peregrine falcons, wild turkeys and even coyotes. Throughout the spring, summer and fall months, a kaleidoscope of wildflowers bloom along the paths and streams of the rolling countryside. In autumn, the leafy display of changing colors is amazingly rich and vivid.

Winter is also a surprisingly delightful time to explore the wilderness of this region. Visitors can snowmobile, ice fish and cross country ski through the pristine winter landscape before returning to their cozy resort or cabin for a cup of hot cocoa. Some resorts even feature winter retreat package deals complete with amenities such as horse-drawn sleigh rides through the woods, indoor pools, hot tubs, hunting expeditions, ice fishing assistance or nightly roaring bonfires.

The nearby town of Crosslake is also home to a wide variety of family festivals and events throughout the year. When visiting the Whitefish Chain region in late summer, be sure to check out Crosslake Days. This celebration of late summer/early autumn in north-central Minnesota is complete with a highly competitive chili cook-off, a classic car show, costume contests, softball tournaments and special discounts at the quaint gift shops and antique stores lining the streets of Crosslake. For nostalgic, old-fashioned fun, Crosslake Days cannot be beat! For a unique and truly memorable winter experience, plan to visit the Whitefish Chain during the weekend of Winter Fest, running from the end of January through the beginning of February in Crosslake. On Friday evening, Winter Fest is opened with a dramatic fireworks display. Saturday and Sunday events include a pancake breakfast, snowmobile rides for the kids, ice bowling, dog sled races and even daring car races on frozen lakes. With so much snowy fun, Winter Fest is sure to create wonderful winter memories in the Whitefish Chain region for you and your family this year.

Tent camping and RV sites are numerous and reasonable throughout the Whitefish Chain area, offering travelers the opportunity to commune most directly with the scenic beauty of the Minnesota landscape. Luxurious resorts and beautiful vacation homes are also prime places to stay during your trip to Whitefish Chain. Cabins and vacation homes are often available for weekly rentals, monthly rentals or even time-share arrangements. Who knows? You may even find the perfect lake-front vacation home to purchase during your stay in this magnificent area.

Instead of spending your vacation at a crowded tourist trap, consider a visit to the Whitefish Chain of Lakes in Minnesota. You will leave feeling refreshed and rejuvenated by the glorious natural surroundings and the relaxed, leisurely pace of life in the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.”

Whitefish Chain of Lakes

Location

The Whitefish Chain of Lakes is actually a series of fourteen different lakes that are all located mainly near the city of Crosslake and Brainerd in the Crow Wing County in Minnesota. The following is a list of the lakes and their nearest town in brackets.

• Arrowhead Lake (Manhattan Beach)
• Bertha Lake (Jenkins)
• Big Trout Lake (Crosslake)
• Clamshell Lake (Pequot Lakes)
• Cross Lake (Crosslake)
• Daggett Lake (Crosslake)
• Hen Lake (Crosslake)
• Island Lake (Crosslake)
• Lower Hay Lake (Pequot Lakes)
• Lower Whitefish Lake (Crosslake)
• Little Pine Lake (Crosslake)
• Pig Lake (Crosslake)
• Rush Lake (Crosslake)
• Upper Whitefish Lake (Crosslake)

Sizes and Other Specifications

Out of the lakes in the Whitefish Chain of lakes, the largest are the Upper and Lower Whitefish Lakes taken together, at 7,370 acres. These have a maximum depth of 140 feet. Other notable lakes are Cross Lake (1751 acres, 85 feet), Big Trout Lake (1,342 acres, 129 feet), Rush Lake (891 acres, 106 feet) and Lower Hay Lake (685 acres, 106 feet). The deepest lake is Whitefish at 140 feet.

The following is information on the sizes and depths of all the 14 lakes in the Whitefish Chain of lakes, in decreasing order of their sizes.

• Upper and Lower Whitefish Lakes (size = 7,370 acres; depth = 140 feet)
• Cross Lake (size = 1,751 acres; depth = 85 feet)
• Big Trout Lake (size = 1,342 acres; depth = 129 feet)
• Rush Lake (size = 891 acres; depth = 106 feet)
• Lower Hay Lake (size = 685 acres; depth = 106 feet)
• Little Pine Lake (size = 387 acres; depth = 37 feet)
• Bertha Lake (size = 334 acres; depth = 65 feet)
• Arrowhead Lake (size = 308 acres; depth = 14 feet)
• Daggett Lake (size = 225 acres; depth = 24 feet)
• Pig Lake (size = 191 acres; depth = 57 feet)
• Clamshell Lake (size = 189 acres; depth = 45 feet)
• Island Lake (size = 176 acres; depth = 77 feet)
• Hen Lake (size = 151 acres)

Fishing and Other Attractions

Fishing is the main attraction on all of these lakes and each fish have their own special fishes. The fishes that are found in abundance are bass (both largemouth and smallmouth), bluegill, pike, crappie, whitefish and walleye. Each lake here has its own fishing specialty though. Like, the Big Trout Lake is a special place to fish for lake trout, the Cross Lake is a special place to fish for largemouth and smallmouth bass and the Northern Pike.

Fishing gear is available at the resorts. You can hire a boat and fishing equipment here and you will be most probably charged by the hour. Even guided fishing trips are available, but if you are an avid fisher yourself, give the coaching a miss and go out yourself. The best lakes to fish in here are the Upper and Lower Whitefish Lakes because of their vast area and the Big Trout Lake if you are specifically looking at trout to bite your bait.

Apart from the fishing attractions, the entire chain of lakes is famous for boat cruises along its waters, especially in the bigger lakes. There are various events organized on the shores almost everyday during the tourist season. Golfing is also a prime attraction in the nearby areas.

Living Facilities

There are many lakeshore resorts where people stay for typically three to seven days and enjoy the beautiful sights and the water experiences that the Whitefish Chain of Lakes has to offer. Shore properties are also available, which are both small and big in size. Cottages and shanties are available on the lake shores.

The bigger lakes predictably have more resorts and places of accommodation along their shores. These resorts are full of all activities that tourists would like, including water related activities such as boating, cruising and fishing. But there are also other kinds of attractions such as a large number of golf courses and tennis. It is not surprising that tourists who come here look for resorts that can provide them with the greatest number of amenities. Hence, if you are planning to visit the Whitefish Chain of Lakes area and want to stay in a resort that provides the best of the facilities, you will need to reserve your place well in advance. The same applies to the various cruises that are conducted in the vast waters of these fourteen lakes.

The houses in the entire Whitefish Chain of Lakes area are picture postcard perfect and you can actually envision yourself spending your retired life in all simplicity. However, make sure you know what area the house is in, because your life in your holiday home will vastly depend on the kind of neighborhood you are choosing your home in.