J&J's Place, Lake Katherine, Quaint Cottage, Direct Snowmobile Access to Trails

We welcome you to J&J's Place on Lake Katherine!
Enjoy the privacy of--
6 acres of land.
378 ft of lake frontage with extra wide log dock.
3,125 sq. ft. of quaint cottage space.
Occupancy= 8 Guests.
4 King Beds.
Washer/Dryer.
Air Conditioning.
Open Year-Round.
No smoking.
No pets.

WINTER 2026:

For SNOWMOBILING:
We have 1)plenty of snow, 2)easy direct trail access and 3)wonderful trail conditions thanks to our snowmobile clubs! Over the years, our area has had a 65-inch annual average snowfall. If you are a snowmobiler, then gear up, hop on your sled, and take off in any direction from J&J’s Place.
--Yes, we have DIRECT snowmobile access from the Lake Katherine public landing, crossing Highway 51 to the Bearskin Trail.
--Yes, since we are located on Lake Katherine, you also have DIRECT access to the Lake Trail System thru Lake Tomahawk (when posted).
BOTH of these routes immediately provide access to a significant number of Lakeland area snowmobiling experiences. You will find routes that traverse a magnificent natural environment through 1,300 frozen glacial lakes and 233,000 acres of public forest land. The dedication of our area snowmobile clubs and volunteers, has resulted in an extensive network of more than 1700 miles of professionally groomed trails in the Minocqua-Lakeland area. Snowmobilers can experience some of the Midwest's best snowmobiling! The Lakeland area features excellent trail-side “pit stops” as well. (Just a note that because our cottage is located in the woods, large snowmobile trailers are at your own risk.)

For other winter sports...we are very close (and we recommend the back route) to the absolutely wonderful Minocqua Winter Park, with loads of nordic trails and a very popular sledding hill. We personally think the sledding hill is a blast, and have visited many times. Minocqua Winter Park was recently voted #1 for the Best Cross Country Ski Resort in USA Today!

SUMMER 2026:
We have temporarily blocked our summer calendar. Our family is deciding on when they will be visiting. As those dates are confirmed we will release our calendar. Please understand that we operate as an original VRBO. We did not flip this property to run as a full-time rental, as many others did during COVID. Although we certainly understand the pressure of summer rentals in the Northwoods, we have certain limitations due to the fact that this is a TRUE family spot.

Our Perfect Location:
J&J's Place is located only 5 minutes from bustling downtown Minocqua! Minocqua has a quaint downtown area with typical tourist shops, and it also has a super Wal-Mart just in case you forgot something important at home. You will find many excellent restaurants, coffee shops, and specialty grocery stores. If you bring your bikes, you can pedal to Minocqua on the Bearskin Trail, (which is also used in winter as a snowmobile trail). Catch a classic snowshoe baseball game in Lake Tomahawk! For other fun, visit:
Wildwood Wildlife Park Zoo & Safari,
Settlers Mill Adventure Golf and Go-Kart Track,
Northwoods Zip Line Adventure Tours,
You can enjoy the peacefulness of the Northwoods at J&J's Place, while having the conveniences of being close to the town of Minocqua.

Our Basics Timeframes Year Round:
No Weekend Check In--We will not be able to accommodate a weekend (Saturday/Sunday) turnover, due to the limited availability of cleaning personnel in the Lakeland area, so please plan for a weekday turnover.
Check-in time: 4:00 PM
Check-out time: 11:00 AM
Quiet nighttime hours are from 10:00 PM to 8:00 AM


Our Comfortable and Quaint Cottage:
J&J's Place has been owned by the family since 1951. We named the cottage to honor our parents, Jack and June, who lived here as summer residents and then as retirees. As you can see from our drone photos, the cottage is nestled among 6 acres of tall pines and massive oaks for that great Northwoods’ peace and quiet. The cottage is steps from the clear waters of Lake Katherine, with beautiful sand substrate & pristine shoreline. Our property's shoreline features a gradual sandy slope, perfect for little children. Lake Katherine (524 acres, max depth 30 ft) is a fishing paradise of Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Jack, was truly a Jack-of-all-trades, and created many of the quaint details at the cottage, such as the scalloped trim and pine tree styled balusters. The cottage features pine paneling and decorative collections from June, a life-long Minocqua resident. Original historical photos from the Island City are featured throughout.

Our Northwoods Atmosphere:
We believe that the best cottage features are the things that bring you closer to nature. A large porch includes a great dining area for guests and a sitting area, which is the perfect place to enjoy your morning coffee. Then when the day ends, relax with your evening cocktail and take in the panoramic view of beautiful Lake Katherine on our beautiful deck, featuring sturdy rod iron furniture and gas grill. In the summer, you will see the eagles fly and hear the loons call literally every day. We are next-door-neighbors to a portion of The Yawkey Forest Preserve. The entire preserve (consisting of 400 acres & 4.4 miles of Lake Katherine shoreline) was donated by the decedents of Cyrus Yawkey to the Northwoods Land Trust in 2018 and has allowed Lake Katherine to remain one of the most undeveloped and naturally beautiful lakes in the state.

Our Toys at the Lakefront:
The cottage is 75 feet from the shores of Lake Katherine. Enjoy your time at the lake with any of our lake toys including: 1 kayak, 2 aluminum canoes, pedal boat, and 10' fishing boat (no motor). Or bring/rent a boat and tie up to our wide and sturdy log dock with sitting bench. If you are bringing your own boat, GREAT! We are only 1/2 mile away from the Lake Katherine public access. We have a small area between the trees to carefully park your trailer. The slope to the lake is very manageable and a split rail fence will guide your way.

Our Essential Internet:
We currently have STARLINK for our internet service! Connect to HBOMax, Netflix, PrimeVideo, Pluto, iHeartRadio, or Crackle on our Smart Living Room TV and in our Diva Den movie room.

Our Amenities:
Yes, we have Air-Conditioning at J&J's Place! We also have all the conveniences of home as follows: Maytag refrigerator, Maytag washer/dryer, Bosch dishwasher, Amana electric oven with gas burners, and GE large microwave. The kitchen has been renovated with granite countertops and a composite sink. The rental includes everything (and more) you need in the kitchen: dishware, utensils, pots, pans, serving dishes and other small appliances, coffee maker, toaster, Kitchen Aid mixer, Cuisinart. You can create great food memories on your vacation with the propane grill or fire pit (& firewood) for burgers, brats, and s’mores! All linens and bath towels for 8 persons are included with your stay (but please bring your beach towels).

Our Extras (Worth Mentioning):
You will find plenty of comfortable couches in our living area, along with rainy day activities including: movies (DVD’s), books, puzzles, games for all ages! J&J’s Place also features a “Diva Den” video theatre with 64” screen. It is also a SMART device and you can log in to your own account. OR choose from literally hundreds of DVD's for a classic movie night. In the garage: extra storage, coolers for use at the lake, and a second side-by-side refrigerator/freezer provided for bait/beer/ice.

Our Cleaning Protocol:
High-touch surfaces are cleaned with disinfectant (like countertops, light switches, handles, and faucets). We have the ability to do both check in and check out without person-to-person contact if that is preferred by the Guest. Keyless entry and codes are provided by VRBO three days before check-in.

Our Contract:
We do have a contract required when booking J&J's Place. Because this is our family home, we need to have the assurance provided by a signed document. A sample contract (missing personal information) is included on this VRBO platform. A formal contract will be properly presented after you have booked at J&J's Place. If you are renting the house for your family and you are not staying at J&J’s Place (perhaps you have a home/cottage in the Lakeland area), we will need a responsible party who is staying “on-site” who will also be part of any communication and contract signing. You will need to provide this information at the time of booking. We will need full contact information—including email and phone-- for this individual. Thanks for understanding; it is the world today!