Iconic north woods lodge and caretakers cabin located on the shores of Upper Clam Lake in the heart of the Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest in Clam Lake, the elk capital of Wisconsin.
Vacation like a lumber baron!
In 1926 lumber baron L.L. Barth built the Clam Lake Lodge on idyllic lakeshore on Upper Clam Lake. Mr. Barth built the lodge as his family's summer home and as a private resort to entertain friends, celebrities, and business and political associates. The Clam Lake Lodge contained amenities in 1926 that were only attainable if you were a tycoon, like L.L. Barth. Fast forward 87 years and the Clam Lake Lodge has returned to its glory. Truly fit for a lumber baron, the lodge contains amenities not seen in many north woods vacation homes. Come to the Clam Lake Lodge and vacation like a modern day lumber baron!
Clam lake lodge and Wapiti Cabin sit on 350 feet of Upper Clam Lake frontage one mile south of the village of Clam Lake, Wisconsin. The property has incredible views of Campfire Island, which sits in the middle of the lake. Clam Lake is located in the heart of the 860,000 acre Chequamegon Nicolet National Forest. Clam Lake is the only town located in this 725 square mile section of the Chequamegon (roughly the same size as the Minneapolis/St. Paul twin cities metropolitan area). Clam Lake is blessed with an abundance of activities, and Clam Lake Lodge and Wapiti Cabin are the perfect places to call home for you to base your adventures.
The Clam Lake Lodge is a 5,200 square foot private resort built by lumber baron L..L. Barth in 1926. We purchased the lodge in 2012 and made extensive renovations to this beautiful building. The Wapiti Cabin, right next door to the Lodge, is the former caretaker's home.
The lodge has 4 bedrooms upstairs all with private bath (toilet, sink and shower). Each of the bedrooms measures 18x14 for 252 square feet. Bedrooms 1 and 2 have two large windows overlooking the best views on upper clam lake. Bedrooms 1 and 2 each have a queen bed. Bedroom 3 has three twin beds. Bedroom 4 has a queen bed and a twin bed. The upstairs at the lodge has 7 beds that comfortably sleep 10 people.
The Wapiti Cabin has 2 bedrooms, one full bath and a complete kitchen. The master bedroom has a queen bed, the second bedroom has 2 twin beds.
The downstairs area includes the 925 square foot bar/amusement area. The u shaped bar is topped with an old bowling alley floor. There are 9 comfortable oak barstools around the bar. There is a queen sleeper sofa for additional sleeping. There are 3 booths for informal dining, game playing or for solving puzzles. The nook overlooking the lake has a poker/game table and chairs. There is an 80 inch Sharp smart television on the wall behind the bar. Digital cable is provided. A Bose surround sound system sounds great. The television is Netflix ready. We also have a Sony Blu-Ray player which also provides internet music and video services. We provide free wifi with a 10 meg bandwidth. The bar has a complimentary pool table. There is a Galaxy dart board as well as a Big Buck Hunter HD 2 player game. The Big Buck Hunter has the 42 inch deluxe HD screen.
The kitchen has been completely remodeled. New granite and cherry butcher block countertops were installed. A keyhole countertop is installed over a cedar stump that was harvested from our land in the National Forest. We have a 6 burner Wolf range with a 34 inch griddle/fry top. The Wolf also has twin ovens. A 36 inch wide refrigerator/freezer is provided. A farm style sink and a dishwasher complete the kitchen. The kitchen has wonderful views overlooking the lake.
Between the kitchen and the lakeside windows is the dining room. The dining table was built by a local craftsman and is 12 feet long by 4 feet wide. Twelve Amish built hickory dining chairs surround the table. Perfect for a large group or a business meeting.
Through the french doors from the dining room lies the library. The library has tremendous views of the lake. When it is dark out, turn on the many Tiffany lamps and start a fire in the fireplace. The fireplace was built out of locally quarried black granite nearly 100 years ago. The library shelves are stocked with an eclectic selection of reading materials to enjoy while you are at the lodge. This room is one of the most comfortable and awe inspiring rooms in the North Woods!
Outside, the lodge provides an aluminum floe dock with swivel rockers on the 350 feet of sandy lake frontage, northwood outdoor patio furniture, a Weber charcoal grill and a fire pit. Not to mention our bronze bull elk and 13 foot long riding musky!
Why Clam Lake?
Clam Lake, Wisconsin is located in the heart of the 860,000 acre Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest at the intersection of Ashland, Bayfield and Sawyer counties. Clam Lake is the only town located in this 725 square mile district of the Chequamegon. This section of the national forest is roughly equal in size to the Minneapolis-St.Paul metropolitan area. Clam Lake is located in the heart of an abundance of activities. These include the elk capital of Wisconsin, some of the best fishing in the country, the best bear, deer and ruffed grouse hunting around, championship cross country ski trails, the finest downhill skiing in the upper midwest, thousands of miles of top notch groomed snowmobile trails, the mecca of disc golf courses, the golf capital of Wisconsin, numerous casinos, fantastic local festivals, the best mountain biking in the midwest, many museums and cultural attractions, not to mention the peace and relaxation of this truly wonderful area.
Elk Capital of Wisconsin - In 1995 25 captive elk were released just south of Clam Lake. As of summer 2012 the herd consisted of 169 elk. Tourists come from all around for a glimpse of these majestic creatures. To hear the bulls bugling during the fall breeding season is truly a wondrous moment. The elk are frequently seen near the Clam Lake Lodge.
Heart of the National Forest - Located in the center of the 860,000 acre Chequamegon forest makes for endless recreational opportunities. Fish, boat, swim, canoe, kayak, stand up paddle or just explore the dozens of lakes and streams in the Clam Lake area. Hunt, hike, ski, snowshoe, snowmobile, atv on the hundreds of miles of trails. Clam Lake is the perfect base location for discovering the special qualities of the Chequamegon.
Fishing - the Clam Lake area is located near high quality fisheries. Upper Clam Lake is a class 'A' musky lake. The world record musky came out of the Chippewa Flowage, just 20 miles away. The Chippewa Flowage is an impoundment of the Chippewa River, the same river that flows through many of the Clam Lake area lakes. The Namekagon River 15 miles west is a blue ribbon trout stream and is known to be one of the best trout fisheries in the midwest. Chequamegon Bay on Lake Superior in Ashland is world renowned for its smallbouth bass. Saxon Harbor and Bayfield offer fishing charters for chasing Lake Superior lake trout and king salmon. The Bois Brule River has tremendous steelhead fishing. The local lakes offer great fishing for panfish, crappies, bass, walleye and musky. There are many local streams that offer great brook trout fishing. The variety of fishing in the area is hard to beat.
Snowmobile Trails - Ashland County offers 280 miles of groomed trails, Bayfield County offers 600 miles of groomed trails, and Sawyer County also has 600 miles of groomed trails. Clam Lake sits at the intersection of all 3 counties. State Corridor Trails 8 and 25 pass through our area. Besides the nearly 1,600 miles of groomed trails are 1,000's of miles of forest roads to explore. Ride from Clam Lake to the famous Lakewood's Resort on Lake Namakagon only 12 miles away. Ride north to explore the glorious vistas at St. Peter's Dome. Ride east toward Hurley/Ironwood and explore the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. You can ride for a week and almost never cross your tracks.
Golf Capital of Wisconsin - The Hayward/Cable area is known as the golf capital of the state. Clam Lake is close to many championship courses. Forest Ridges and Teal Wing are both less than 15 minutes away. Telemark, Spider Lake and Big Fish are within a 30 minute drive. Skye Golf at Whitecap Mountain is 40 minutes away. You can stay for a week and play a different championship course each day.
Mountain Biking - The CAMBA (Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association) trails are the premier system of trails in the Midwest. The CAMBA off-road bike system consists of over 300 miles of marked and mapped routes through a near wilderness area of striking beauty and peaceful solitude. The CAMBA system is quickly becoming the singletrack Mecca of the midwest. The Namakagon cluster trail head is located 8 miles west of Clam Lake. The Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival takes place each September with nearly 3,000 riders taking part in the race.
Hunting - The Clam Lake area is blessed with tremendous hunting. Upland bird hunters come from all over the USA for the tremendous Ruffed Grouse and Woodcock hunting. The Park Falls area of the southern Chequamegon is known as the Ruffed Grouse Capital of the World. The world record Black Bear was shot just east of Clam Lake near Glidden. Bayfield County is known as one of the best counties in the world for Boone & Crockett black bears. The elusive Whitetail deer is always a challenge in the wild big woods. With dozens of lakes and streams in the area, Clam Lake is popular with duck hunters.
Summer 2014 rates include use of a 2013 20 foot Bennington pontoon with a 50hp four stroke Yamaha motor.