There's a kind of summer morning up here we wish we could bottle: the lake flat as glass, a loon calling somewhere out past the point, and the water just cool enough to wake you all the way up. Swimming and paddling are the whole reason to come north in summer, and between Lake Arbutus and the Eagle River chain you have miles of it right out the door. Here is how we would spend your lake days.
Swimming
Where is the best place to swim?
The honest answer for Lake Arbutus swimming is: right off the dock. The entry at The O.G. is gentle and the water shallows out enough that little ones can wade while the rest of the crew swims out to cool off. Late afternoon is when the top of the water is warmest — the sun has had all day to work on it — so that is our pick for the big group swim, with the morning saved for something calmer.
If you like a little more room to stretch out, paddle a few minutes to one of the quiet bays and you will often have a patch of water all to yourself. Bring water shoes if anyone is tender-footed; a Northwoods lake bottom is soft sand in places and stony in others.
On the water
Where should we point the kayaks?
This is the good stuff. Kayaking around Eagle River means access to the world's largest inland chain of freshwater lakes — a sprawl of connected water you could explore for a week and not see twice. From The Grandy Dandy you launch straight onto the Sugar Camp Chain; from The O.G. you are out on Lake Arbutus in the time it takes your coffee to cool. Both cabins include kayaks, so there is nothing to rent or haul.
Our advice: go early. The wind usually lies down overnight, which makes the first few hours after sunrise the calmest, prettiest paddling of the day — glassy water, mist lifting, the shoreline doubled in the reflection.
Three ways to do it
What does a perfect lake day look like?
The sunrise paddle
Slip out before the lake wakes up. Calm water, loons, and coffee in a travel mug — you will be back before anyone else is hungry for breakfast.
The explore loop
Follow the shoreline into the quiet bays and channels. Watch for eagles, herons, and turtles sunning on the logs. Pack a dry bag and a snack.
The swim & drift
Paddle out to a calm spot, slide in for a swim, then float and let the afternoon go by. The simplest plan, and somehow always the best.
Good to know
What should we bring — and when is the water warm?
Pack swimsuits, sunscreen, and a hat — we keep the cabins stocked with towels, so leave those at home; a dry bag is handy for phones and snacks if you are paddling out a ways. Life jackets come with the cabins, and we would just ask that everyone wears one on the water. As for temperature — Northwoods lakes warm up as the season settles in, with the heart of summer the most swim-friendly stretch. Early-season dips are bracing in the best way, and even in August the mornings stay cool, which is exactly why the hot tub feels so good after.
When you are ready to dry off, our area guide has the rest of the day covered, and if the fish are calling, the fishing guide will point you to the chain's best water.
Where to stay on the water
Both cabins put the lake right out the door — The O.G. on Lake Arbutus and The Grandy Dandy on the Sugar Camp Chain, each with kayaks, a private dock, and a hot tub for after. Summer weekends are the first to go, so book ahead.
Good to know