Shell Lake Lake Home and Cabin Living

Shell Lake, Wisconsin

Toe-riffic!
Diane Dryden of the Shell Lake Chamber of Commerce says that you can stand in Shell Lake up to your neck, look down, and count the hairs on your toes. She doesn't say why you would want to count your toe hair while up to your neck in water, but her point is, in a region that is already rich in pristine natural lakes, Shell Lake is the clearest and cleanest of them all.

In terms of water clarity and purity, Dryden insists that Shell Lake could stand toe-to-toe with even Superior. When questioned about this she admits, “Well, it's a teensy bit warmer than Lake Superior.” Try thirty or forty degrees warmer.

The Jewel of the Town
The lake is the jewel of the town, and one of the biggest reasons to visit. If it can be done in or on water, you can do it at Shell Lake. There are kayaks, canoes and pontoon boats for rent.  If you brought your own vessel, there are boat ramps and plenty of public access. People water ski, sail board and sail. And the fishing isn’t bad, either. With about two-thousand, six-hundred acres of surface area, there is ample room on Shell Lake for everyone. 

Shell Lake is also for swimming, or just standing in the water, looking at your toes. The town maintains Memorial Park – a terrific public place from which to enjoy the water. There is a municipal beach here, large, sandy and equipped with swimming rafts. It is staffed by lifeguards in the summertime, and swimming lessons are also available. The park also features playground equipment, new in 2004, and a unique log-pavilion which can be rented.

Further down the shore is the municipal campground, featuring eleven on-water camping spots, with a total of forty-one sites. Water and electric hookups are available on all sites, and clean hot showers can be had in the bathhouse. You can clean your fish too, at the fish cleaning station. The campground is within walking distance from the beach, and also from downtown Shell Lake. In between the campground and memorial park is the Shell Lake Pavilion, which includes a covered stage. In the summer months there are live concerts here every Tuesday night.

Washburn County
Shell Lake is in Washburn county, where twenty-nine percent of the land is publicly owned, while another six percent is made up of surface water. Most of the remaining area is still forested, primarily in aspen. As it is all over Northwest Wisconsin, there are plenty of ski and snowmobile trails available in the winter, with hiking and biking in the summer. The ratios of  public land, water and forest make for a good balance when it comes to opportunities for finding that lake-home, or Northwoods cabin, in an area that is not crowded and is only one hundred miles from the Twin Cities.

A Friendly, Hometown Community
When it comes to Shell Lake, the lake itself is what brings people there, but don't forget, thirteen hundred people live in the town also. They enjoy community drama presentations at the Erika Quam memorial Theater. They also maintain a fabulous museum of woodcarving, that is well known throughout the area. The Shell Lake Arts Center draws students from all over, to various camps and workshops. The educational opportunities offered by the arts center are impressive, and include: Rock Band Camp, Jazz Camp, Show Choir Camp, Trumpet Workshop, and the Dr. Eugene Rousseau Yamaha Saxophone workshop.

The point is, Shell Lake is a great place to visit and enjoy the lake – but it is also a community. Jenna, who answers the phone at the AmericInn Lodge & Suites in town, says that one of the best things about Shell Lake is its friendly, hometown atmosphere. If you dream of owning that vacation home in the lake country, or of retiring to a quiet, down-home place, you could do a lot worse than to investigate Shell Lake. While you're there, don't forget to examine your toes!