Whipple Beach and Camp Vanasek

Whipple Beach, Camp Vanasek

are popular draws in Baxter

By Dan Determan

For the city of Baxter, much of the lake activities take place on Whipple Lake in the northwestern corner of town.

Specifically, the amenities at Whipple Beach make for one of the most popular recreational areas in town and the surrounding area.

Whipple Beach in Baxter is a popular place on nice summer days.

Brainerd Dispatch photo

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TOP: Whipple Beach is Baxter’s most utilized public park. ABOVE: Camp Vanasek has served the area for more than 70 years.

Contributed photos

“There aren’t too many public beaches on some of the lakes in the surrounding area. Whipple Beach is one of the few, so we tend to get users that come from outside the boundaries of Baxter to recreate and enjoy the lake.”

Brad Chapulis, Baxter city administrator

“It is our most utilized park,” Baxter City Administrator Brad Chapulis said. “Obviously, the beach is a major draw. There aren’t too many public beaches on some of the lakes in the surrounding area. Whipple Beach is one of the few, so we tend to get users that come from outside the boundaries of Baxter to recreate and enjoy the lake.”

Whipple Beach has been open to the public since the early 1960s, originally managed and operated by Crow Wing County. The city took over in the late 1980s, making a number of improvements to make the park what it is today.

In the late 1990s, the boat access and restrooms were added. Shortly after that, the fishing pier was built. Eight years ago, the picnic area was constructed.

In addition, the park features playground equipment, and swimming is - of course - an option, though no lifeguards are on duty.

Chapulis said the beach’s popularity has been very consistent through the years and was perhaps magnified during the pandemic, with the beach providing plenty of outdoor activities where individuals could distance themselves from others.

“There is a lot of space there to keep your distance, but yet you are able to be out in the sun and the fresh air, and enjoy the nice, cool waters of the lake,” he said.

One aspect of the area’s popularity may be Camp Vanasek, located next to the beach.

Established privately more than 70 years ago, Camp Vanasek is now under the management of the Brainerd Lakes YMCA

Campers at Camp Vanasek have the opportunity to take part in a wide variety of outdoors activities.

Contributed photo

and serves campers of various ages during the summer months.

“Camp Vanasek is a space where kids and young teenagers are able to come together, have fun and learn throughout the summer,” Brainerd Lakes YMCA CEO Shane Riffle said. “It gets them away from computers and away from their phones, and into the outdoors where so much valuable learning can occur … The kids are learning without realizing it and they’re having fun along the way. They are learning the skills that are most valuable in life.”

Like the beach itself, Camp Vanasek has been a popular summer destination for many years and, according to Riffle, saw “remarkable” numbers during the pandemic.

“During COVID, we utilized the camp as one of our distance learning sites. We were able to use the YMCA and keep kids appropriately separated, but we also used the two buildings at the camp for distance learning … It was just a good place. We were able to utilize the outdoors - snowshoes, cross country skis and things like that - and they were still able to learn.”

Looking to the future, officials at Camp Vanasek have big plans for the site - plans that would open the camp to more people when the sun is shining or snow is falling.

“We are building the plans right now, but the dream is to re-do all of the cabins and make it a year-round type of camp, where we can do programs and activities throughout the entire year,” Riffle said.

As for Whipple Beach, the city’s future plans for the site are relatively simple: keeping everything in tip-top shape.

“(We are focused on) keeping the park in the best condition that it can be,” Chapulis said. “Obviously, as facilities age, the need for maintenance and repairs continue to increase and that’s really what our focus is - maintaining the quality of recreational facilities that we currently have out there.”

DAN DETERMAN is a staff writer for the Pineandlakes Echo Journal weekly newspaper in Pequot Lakes/Pine River. He may be reached at 218-855-5879 or dan. determan@pineandlakes.com.