Pick a unit on the map to see its reservation calendar.
Only 1 opening in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
Of the 6 tracked reservation dates (May 1 – May 3, 2027): 6 open for online reservation.
Of the open reservation dates on mapped day-use units, 2 fall on weekdays and 4 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
May holds the most room. 6 of 6 reservation dates are still open there.
| Window | Date | Units open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memorial Day | FRI May 28 | 0 | None open |
| SAT May 29 | 0 | None open | |
| SUN May 30 | 0 | None open | |
| MON May 31 | 0 | None open |
Memorial Day: no online availability on any tracked date.
| Shelter | Open reservation dates |
|---|---|
| Lakeside Shelter | 3 |
| Riverside Shelter | 3 |
The 2 shelters with the most open reservation dates in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Campsite Sniper's data for this facility starts May 1, 2027. That is about 180 days after the current snapshot was taken, so dates before May 1, 2027 are not covered by what Campsite Sniper tracks here — they are not known to be unavailable. The reservation dates shown on this page describe May 1, 2027 onwards only. Check Recreation.gov for earlier dates.
| Shelter | Open reservation dates | Consecutive dates | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakeside Shelter | 3 | 3 dates | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
| Riverside Shelter | 3 | 3 dates | May 1, 2027, May 2, 2027, May 3, 2027 |
In Central Minnesota's popular lakes area, the Cross Lake Day Use has tremendous appeal for families and friends, with an array of activities and facilities perfect for a day outdoors.
Swim or sunbathe at the beach, enjoy a meal at one of the numerous picnic sites, or for larger groups, reserve one of two group picnic shelters. Shore fishing is popular both upstream and downstream of the dam on accessible fishing piers, and canoe access is available for exploring the Pine River downstream of the dam.
The area offers two group picnic shelters. The #1 shelter is located upstream of the dam and is smaller than the #2 shelter which is located downstream of the dam, along the Pine River. Canoe access is available along both shores of the Pine River downstream from the dam. A swimming beach and two accessible fishing piers are available within a short walk of the parking area. Other facilities include a playground, restrooms and parking facilities for up to 50 vehicles.
Surrounded by tall pines on the eastern bank of Cross Lake, the Day Use Area provides an ideal location to explore and enjoy the Whitefish Chain of Lakes, boasting 13,660 acres of water and 119 miles of scenic shoreline.
The city of Crosslake is located within walking distance from the Day Use Area where you will find local shopping, a paved walking and biking trail and numerous other activities within town.
From Brainerd, Minnesota. on Highway 25; turn right on County Road 3 and travel north to Cross Lake, Minn. The Day Use area entrance is to the left, directly across from intersections 3 and 66.
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗




Reservations for Cross Lake Day Use are made through Recreation.gov. The current snapshot shows substantial availability: 6 of 6 tracked reservation dates are open (100%), though availability can change. Campsite Sniper has also detected 1 site opening here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick the shelter on the map to see its reservation calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Nov 2, 2026 18:20 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
Campsite Sniper detected 1 site-date opening here over the last 90 days, none in the last 7. A free alert watches around the clock and pings you the moment one appears.
May 2027, with 6 open reservation dates in the current snapshot of 6.
Campsite Sniper cannot answer that from the current snapshot. The availability data held for Cross Lake Day Use begins May 1, 2027 — about 180 days after this snapshot was taken, so any earlier dates are outside what Campsite Sniper is tracking here rather than known to be unavailable. Check Recreation.gov for dates before May 1, 2027.
Choose the reservation dates you want at Cross Lake Day Use.
Campsite Sniper can monitor this facility and notify you if a selected date becomes available.
When a selected date becomes available, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.