In our last post reviewing the Brainerd Lakes Area beaches, I wanted to go to a beach that I had never been to before. I wanted to experience it like a rookie. Living in the area for most of my life proved it was difficult to find a public beach in the five county region that I haven’t been to before.
After looking online and on maps, I was surprised to find Dower Lake Recreation Area. I was even more surprised to find that it’s a pretty good beach. Minus the drive (around 45 minutes from Brainerd…with a stop for snacks), it’s not too far to enjoy.
Dower Lake Recreation Area
As you can see, the beach isn’t too big but seemed to have enough space for all. The kids were initially concerned with the lily pads encroaching on their swimming area but found that the plants stayed away.
The campground is available at weekly and daily rates. When taking pictures of the area, it looked like it had a usage rate of about half. For a Saturday during the summer, that’s pretty good.
A well-manicured disc golf course is a nice touch.
The fishing pier is large enough for the entire town of Staples to use at the same time. This is easily the signature feature of the park. At over 600 feet, it’s the largest pier in all of Minnesota. What a treat!
The picnic area is covered for the occasional rainy day. While it wasn’t in use when we visited, it could easily hold many diners.
For those that don’t want shade while eating, the beach seems to work….But seriously, this was the only blemish to the sandy beach.
On a warm day, having enough water space is important. The water was clear and had very few weeds floating around. Maybe the long lily pads acted as a buffer.
Dower Lake has some nice softball fields.
In lieu of playground equipment, these swings do the job, but maybe a bit more, maybe even just a slide or merry-go-round would go long ways.
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