Openings · last 7 days
1
Booking reality
Campsite Sniper detected 1 site opening here in the last 7 days
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-233592
When Cross Lake Day Use reopens
Cross Lake Day Use's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
1
Openings · last 90 days
1
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.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18 – Oct 14, 2026 · of 2 monitored sites
Of the 54 tracked reservation dates (Sep 18 – Oct 14, 2026): 51 open for online reservation · 3 reserved.
Where the open windows are
5.6% of tracked reservation dates are not currently open for online reservation. 51 of 54 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18 – Oct 14, 2026Not open online5.6%
Open reservation dates51 / 54
Reserved (of online inventory)3 / 54
Weekday openings29
Weekend openings22
Of the open reservation dates on mapped day-use units, 29 fall on weekdays and 22 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Oct 2026October holds the most room. 26 of 28 reservation dates are still open there.
Holiday windows — day use
Units open per date · of 2 day-use units| Window | Date | Units open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked date.
Availability by day-use unit
Most open reservation dates · tracked window| Unit | Open reservation dates |
|---|---|
| 1 | 26 |
| 2 | 25 |
The 2 day-use units with the most open reservation dates in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateFri · Sep 18
Next open weekendFri · Sep 18
The next bookable date is Sep 18; the first open weekend starts Sep 18. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Reservation dates
51 available reservation dates across 2 day-use units at Cross Lake Day Use, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
All 2 day-use units with current availability
| Unit | Open reservation dates | Consecutive dates | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 | 15 dates | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29 +14 more |
| 2 | 25 | 12 dates | Sep 18, Sep 19, Sep 20, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30 +13 more |
About Cross Lake Day Use
Overview
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.
Recreation
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.
Facilities
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.
Natural Features
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.
Nearby Attractions
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.
2 monitored unitsDay use2 shadedWaterfrontLakefrontRiverfrontPets OKMax party 75
Getting there
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.
35507 County Rd 66 Po Box 36, Crosslake, MN 56443-0036651-290-5793
CanoeingDay Use AreaFishingHistoric & Cultural SiteKayakingPicnickingSwimming SiteVisitor Center
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-233592 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-233592 · Cross Lake Day Use · Crosslake MN4 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Cross Lake Day Use?
Reservations for Cross Lake Day Use are made through Recreation.gov. The current snapshot shows substantial availability: 51 of 54 tracked reservation dates are open (94.4%), 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 unit on the map to see its reservation calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this facility for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
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 Sep 18, 2026 16:19 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.
How often do new openings appear at Cross Lake Day Use?
Campsite Sniper detected 1 site-date opening at Cross Lake Day Use in the last 7 days, 1 over 30 days and 1 over the last 90.
Which month has the most availability at Cross Lake Day Use?
October 2026, with 26 open reservation dates in the current snapshot of 28.
When is the next open date at Cross Lake Day Use?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Fri, Sep 18 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 18. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
Let the app watch this shelter
Pick dates
Choose the reservation dates you want at Cross Lake Day Use.
Watch
Campsite Sniper can monitor this facility and notify you if a selected date becomes available.
Get the ping
When a selected date becomes available, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.