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Shannon Watters

Exploring Minnesota's State Parks The View from The Watters Edge

As a Realtor®, Master Naturalist, Director with the National Loon Center Foundation and Whitefish Area Property Owners Association. I’m committed to providing my clients with the best real estate knowledge and service to help meet their buying and selling goals as well as equipping them with best stewardship knowledge and community connection to thrive for years to come.



Hello everyone!! September 26, 2024

We spent most of the August and September weekends camping. I want to give you a little summary of our experiences and hopefully encourage you to get out there and see all that Minnesota has to offer!!


Frazee, MN

We spent the weekend of August 2-4 with friends and family:

What a fabulous area!! It is close to Detroit Lakes that has the Thomas Dambo's Whimsical Troll tour!!! Very cool and has a great story and theme. They all are made from recycled materials!




Maplewood State Park in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota:

We spent the weekend of August 9-11 with our large extended family!! This is a beautiful park with great hiking! The sites are very nice and a lovely place to have a large family gathering. We had a wonderful time spending time with family we see often as well as those we don't see nearly enough!!




August 24-25

We went to a wedding of some dear friends/Clients of ours in Fargo and stayed at the Buffalo River State Park.

To be honest....not our favorite. Sadly wouldn't recommend it BUT the "watering hole" (which we learned is a major attraction to the park) was closed. So we may not have given it a fair chance. But the sites were super small (like a parking lot) and had very few trees (like a parking lot). There are biking/hiking trails, but because it was a blistering hot weekend, we also didn't give those a fair chance. Will we go back to reassess? Likely not. But if you need camping near Fargo, this is a convenient place to stay.





August 30-September 2

We went camping at Vermillion Soudan Underground Mine State Park for our daughter's birthday:

This was INCREDIBLE!!!!! This park could well be my FAVORITE in the entire state (and I think our family also would agree!!) and we all have a lot of parks that we adore!!! The camping sites were the largest that we have experienced. The hiking was exceptional with beautiful well-cared for trails and breath taking views of Lake Vermillion. The park was well cared for and the rangers were super kind and friendly. I couldn't say enough positive things about this park and the area!! The underground mine was closed due to flooding so we are planning a trip back to visit it in the future.




September 12-15

We camped with friends/clients and explored the real estate properties in Grand Marais, Minnesota as well as all the fantastic tourist sites. This is such a great town with all the art, craft beer, outfitter stores, hiking, rock beaches, fabulous food and friendly residents!!! It is one of the greatest places in the state!! We had a fantastic time climbing Eagle Mountain, traveling up the shore to Grand Portage, meandering through the town streets checking out all the shops and restaurants and heading out to the light house to see more of the great views. There is Pincushion Mountain (that we explored last year!) and so many trails as this is part of the Lake Superior Hiking Trail. We camped at the Grand Marais Campground right in town. The sites are a little crowded but all the people we met were friendly and fun to camp along with. It is a great location right in town and on the marina. We were even able to experience the northern lights!



 


Following are some great trivia questions and answers:

Please come join us on Thursday, September 26 from 6-8 pm at 14 Lakes Brewery.


1. What are each of the sounds Loons make (while they are in their breeding territories).


2.      What is the Aquatic Invasive Species found in the Whitefish Chain On Friday September 6, 2024?

  • Starry Stonewort


3. What is the leading cause of Loon mortality in the US?

  • Lead poisoning

4.      How many eggs does a female zebra mussel produce in a year?

  • Up to 1 million eggs


5.      How many reproductive cells does a male zebra mussel release in a year?

  • Up to 200 million cells per year


6. What are some alternatives to traditional lawns to help preserve water quality?

  • Rain gardens, pollinator gardens, buffer zones



 

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Situated in a prime location, it offers access to endless amenities at a remarkable price point that won't break your budget.

Embrace the simplicity of low maintenance living as you start enjoying life here today!    ✨


 


I want to share one of my daughters favorite fall baking recipes with you!!



 


WAPOA and Loon Center Community Events:

September 26 Loon and Lakes Trivia at 14 Lakes Brewery Crosslake 6-8 pm September 27-28 Crosslake Days October 3 – Loon and Lakes Trivia at Red Pine Cookhouse Emily 6-8 pm

October 24 - Loon and Lakes Trivia at 14 Lakes Brewery Crosslake 6-8 pm


November 7 - Loon and Lakes Trivia at Red Pine Cookhouse Emily 6-8 pm

December 5 - Loon and Lakes Trivia at Red Pine Cookhouse Emily 6-8 pm



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