It is a strange thing. Many people desire to own property in a beautiful place but a lot of them don’t like the words “developer” or “development.” There seems to be a contradiction between the natural beauty of the wilderness and the necessity of building on it in order to live there. For most of his career, Phil Taylor has been working to help address that problem. In fact, in 2005, Taylor changed the name of his company to reflect his philosophy of helping people live close to nature while preserving the beautiful characteristics of the property. Naterra is simply a blend of the words “nature” and “terra” (‘land’ in Latin).
Taylor’s goal is to help people fulfill their dream of living in a beautiful place. His approach, and that of Naterra, is to find the best property available, and to formulate the development of it in a way that is harmonious with nature. “Not all land is equal when it comes to building,” says Taylor. “And not every piece of land that could be built on should be.” So Naterra insists on walking the land before planning any development. The assumption is that people want to purchase a beautiful lot with beautiful views and they are selective about the disposition of each lot. They end up not developing some land that could have houses squeezed onto it. “We try to look at how God made it in the first place,” says Taylor. “We want to capture the views and highlight the natural characteristics that are already there.”
The latest Naterra project in the northland is Voyageurs Retreat at Giants Ridge. It is situated east of Virginia, Minnesota, near the town of Biwabik and just across the water from Giants Ridge Golf & Ski Resort. Giants Ridge is home to The Legend and The Quarry, two of the most acclaimed public golf courses in the state and among the top 100 public courses in the nation. Giants Ridge is also one of the top ski resorts in the Midwest offering 35 downhill runs and over 60 kilometers of cross-country ski trails.
Voyageurs Retreat meanders along almost the entire eastern shoreline of two interconnected lakes: Sabin Lake and Wynne Lake. It is made up of a series of settlements, each with a unique theme and style that reflects the characteristics of the land around it. Seven different private waterfront parks are available to all Voyageurs residents, each with unique characteristics and water access. Scenic gateways pass from one settlement to the next. The whole community benefits from the parks, hiking trails, a community campsite, and bike trails.
It is a reflection of the Naterra philosophy that Voyageurs Retreat is surrounded by parks and nature trails. The property ends in the north with the 12th Pose Interpretive Park, which explains some of the history of the area. Next to it is the last settlement of lakeshore homesites called Waterside. Waterside, like the parks which bracket it, looks south and down the lake. Most home sites offer a gradual, sloping shoreline. Directly east is the Northwoods Park. A pine-framed view down the island-studded lake calls to mind the pioneer voyageurs who traveled this area. Just south of the park, the next settlement is also called the Northwoods. There are a number of premium lake lots here, and for those landowners in the Northwoods Settlement who are not on the lakeshore, both the Northwoods Park and North Basin Park, to the south of the settlement, offer water access. There are canoe and bike racks, fishing piers and picnic areas in the shade of beautiful pines. Of course, residents are also welcome to use any of the other private parks within Voyageurs Retreat.
Continuing south, we come to the Gakiiwe Settlement. It sits quite close to the 132 mile long Mesabi bike trail. In fact, the private bike trail, within Voyageurs, actually connects to the Mesabi. Some of the lots in Gakiiwe include the classic sandy beaches and tall pines so sought after in the North Country. Like the Northwoods Settlement, it is also convenient to North Basin Park. On the southern end of Sabin Lake is the Pine Shore Settlement, made up exclusively of classic pine clad lakeshore lots. These are in high-demand featuring classic Minnesota lake scenery.
Somewhere inland between Gakiiwe and the Pine Shore Settlement is the Stargazer Camp – a well equipped, yet unobtrusive rustic camping site for those Voyageur residents seeking an adventure close to home. You can find it just off the Wetland Loop Hiking Trail. There are picnic tables, tent pads, bike racks and a fire ring.
The passage between Wynne and Sabin lakes is called The Narrows. True to their philosophy, Naterra donated a section of this to the town of Biwabik for a public park. A bridge is also being constructed here to connect Voyageurs Retreat to the Mesabi Trail and eventually to Ely, Minnesota. It will also provide convenient access for residents to the ski and golf resorts across the lake.
Inland of The Narrows, is the Moose Track Settlement. It skirts the wetlands as they meander from the rocky highlands. This area is home to a large variety of wildlife. While this settlement does not include homes right at the lakeside, lake access is available through any of the seven private parks in Voyageurs Retreat. Island View Park is the closest of these which feature views of Canary Island and access to Wynne Lake. As with all the parks, it has canoe racks, launch points, a fishing pier and picnic areas.
The Sunset Settlement, to south of Moose Track, includes some of the most sought after properties at Voyageurs Retreat. It features sandy beaches, tall trees and stunning, west-facing views of Wynne Lake. Lakeshore lots in the Sunset Settlement and all along Wynne Lake are sold out.
On the inland side of the Sunset Settlement and along the shore to the south is the Ridgeline Settlement. This follows the natural contours of the rising land in the area. Directly to the south of this is Red Pine Beach Park which includes a great swimming area with a floating raft. Like the other parks, it offers canoe facilities and picnic areas, as well as access to hiking trails. It is named after a stand of red pine at the park entrance.
Just inland to the east of Voyageur Trail, lies the Needleleaf Settlement under the seclusion of the quiet trees. As always, Naterra has endeavored to work with the land rather than force as many houses onto it as possible. Lake access is available to the fourteen Needleleaf residents through any of the private parks in Voyageurs Retreat.
The next stop south is the Red Pine Settlement. It is arranged to take advantage of the beautiful coniferous trees in the area. Lakeshore is sold out in the Red Pine Settlement. However, a few lake access lots remain available.
Greenstone Settlement is so named after Greenstone Creek, which meanders along its babbling course through the area. This settlement is being molded around the creek and its characteristics. Lake access lots are available here. As always, there is access for those who don’t live right on the water through any of the seven private parks. The closest access for the Greenstone Settlement is Greenstone Creek Park. Behind this runs the Greenstone Creek Nature Trail. It is part of the seven mile trail system that winds through the secluded woods of Voyageurs Retreat. It connects to the ravine hiking trail, which runs through the whispering trees of the Red Pine Settlement.
At the south end of Wynne Lake is the Birchbark Settlement. It, of course, features many beautiful Birch Trees. Lake access homesites are still available. Owners of these sites, as always, can use a nearby private park. In the Birchbark Settlement, the closest of these is South Basin Park, which adjoins state land. It features a swimming beach, canoe racks, a canoe launch site, a scenic overlook and access to hiking trails.
The Plateau Settlement sits atop a hill overlooking the south end of Wynne Lake. The lots are laid out to feature long views that promise many quiet and beautiful sunsets over woods and water. The Plateau Hiking Trail runs through the trees of these settlements, connecting to South Basin Park. It also runs through seven miles of hiking trails and state owned land.
Voyageurs Retreat reflects the passion and philosophy of Naterra for the land and for its beauty. Each settlement is planned around the features of its topography. Each lot is chosen with care. It is a beautiful place for a vacation home, respectful of the nature that we all crave to be in. It is also, notes Phil Taylor, an excellent place to retire. He thinks many people are buying retirement homes early because now is such an advantageous time to get into the market.
On Saturday, October 11th, Naterra Land will host a Grand Opening Event at Voyageurs Retreat to celebrate the release of the last settlement of homesites, the Portage Settlement. The Portage Settlement will feature lake access and lake view homesites at the north end of Sabin Lake. Special Grand Opening pricing and additional incentives will be available on all Voyageurs Retreat lakeshore and lake access homesites during the event.
Whether it is for vacation or a peaceful future, Voyageurs Retreat by Naterra Land is certainly a beautiful reflection of the Lakeshore Dream.
