Battle Lake Lake Home and Cabin Living

In Battle Lake, not only do the woods meet the prairie, but also, the water meets the town.  There is a new public dock there, where boaters who put in elsewhere on the lake can tie up and walk uptown for ice cream, or a meal at one of several unique restaurants.  Afterwards, they can browse the variety of interesting locally owned shops. If you own a home or cabin on West Battle, you could even run to town for errands in your boat!

 

Flowers at Glendalough State Park Annie Battle Lake Sunset on Battle Lake View from Inspiration Peak
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Otter Tail

Battle Lake, Minnesota

Clash of Forest and Prairie
In 1795, fifty Ojibwe warriors traveled southwest from the forests around Leech Lake, presumably in search of new hunting grounds, and possibly of glory too. On the shores of a good-sized lake, they met a large band of Sioux. Thirty Ojibwe fell in the ensuing battle, and ever afterwards, the water was known as “West Battle Lake.”

Geographically, the area around Battle Lake mirrors that ancient military conflict.  Even as the forest Indians fought the tribe of the plains, it is in this exact region of Minnesota that the trees begin to give way to the great plains that roll on for a thousand miles across the Dakotas and on into Wyoming and Montana. In this same region, it is supposed that the massive ancient glaciers of the ice ages halted their march, and retreating, left behind not only some very pretty hills, but also a plethora of pristine lakes. The town of Battle Lake in Otter Tail County is of course, on the shores of one of these.

Lake Country
There are in fact, 1048 lakes in Otter Tail County, which is more than in any other single county in the entire United States.  In case you didn't know, in Minnesota, a contained body of water must have at least 10 acres of surface area to be considered a lake. All in all, the county contains 173,851 acres of lake water, not including rivers and streams, or bodies smaller than 10 acres. At 2232 Square miles, Otter Tail is a big county, but is still more than 12% water. To put it another way: almost ten percent of all the lakes in Minnesota can be found in this county.  It is no wonder then, that it is sometimes called “the Lakes area.”

In Battle Lake, not only do the woods meet the prairie, but also, the water meets the town. There is a new public dock there, where boaters who put in elsewhere on the lake can tie up and walk uptown for ice cream, or a meal at one of several unique restaurants. Afterwards, they can browse the variety of interesting locally owned shops. If you own a home or cabin on West Battle, you could even run to town for errands in your boat!

Throughout the area, the lakes are of course the biggest attraction.  West Battle is a multi-use lake, as are several of the other large lakes near the town of Battle Lake.  There is plenty of room here for a wide variety of watersports. Fishing ranks near the top of the list, with Walleye, Northern, Muskie, Perch and other Panfish all present in plentiful numbers. Waterskiers, wake-boarders and tubers have lots of room here too, as do those who prefer quieter modes of water transportation, like canoeists, kayakers and sailors. There are all kinds of places to swim too. Glendalough State Park is only three miles from Battle Lake, and includes nine miles of undeveloped shoreline. Contained within the park is 335 acre Annie Battle lake which offers a quiet, non-motorized experience including outstanding fishing and canoe-in campsites.

First Resorts
Right around Battle Lake, you find a large number of resorts on various bodies of water. Many, if not most of these, are relatively small and cozy, and they are run by families who own and operate them. These are the places that come to mind when you think of a nostalgic family vacation at the lake – ten or fifteen lakeside cottages, friendly hosts, campfires and so on.  Don't be fooled, however.  Most of them also offer modern amenities like televisions, microwaves and wireless Internet. 

Land on your Feet
If, for some reason, you get tired of swimming, waterskiing or catching boatloads of delicious fish, you can occupy yourself happily on dry land also. Nearby is the Balmoral Golf Course – a par 72 championship course located on the southeast side of Otter Tail lake. There are eleven other courses elsewhere in the county as well.  Battle Lake has a slough of community events and activities, as do other area towns.  The county calendar is packed every month of the year. There are art fairs, outdoor concerts, community theaters and much more. 

Battle Lake is sometimes known as “the little city with the big heart.”  Maybe that is because it lies in the heart of the Lake Country.  It's only a few hours from the Twin Cities. As the weather warms and the ice melts, maybe now is the time to check it out.

Related Links

Spicer and New London City Guide

Willmar City Guide

Western MN Region Profile