☀️ Summer at the lake
Welcome to

The A-Frame on Allen Lake

Watersmeet, Michigan · Upper Peninsula

A family-built chalet on the quiet eastern bay of Allen Lake, wrapped in the Ottawa National Forest. Welcome — everything you need for your stay is right here.

Sleeps 8 3 bedrooms 7 beds 2 baths 40 acres Private beach
🔑 First things first

Arrival essentials

WiFi

NetworkA Frame
Passwordbijipada

Your host, Patrick

Patrick is one of the owners and lives in the home next door. He'll meet you when you arrive and get you settled — and he's the person to reach for anything during your stay. Arriving after dark or running late? Text ahead so he can watch for you.

Text Patrick 847-343-9349

Check-in & out

Check-inAfter 3:00 PM
Check-outBefore 1:00 PM
Max guests8
FirewoodFree, from Patrick
TrashFull cans → garage
🧭 The last mile

Getting here

You're about a mile off Highway 45 — the last stretch is a gravel county road that ends right at the property.

  1. From US Highway 45, turn onto Allen Lake Rd — a gravel county road.
  2. Follow it to the end: around the bend, across the bridge, and up the hill.
  3. Park behind the house. Patrick's home is right next door — he'll come greet you.

Heads up: GPS can sometimes drop the pin up the road. Follow Allen Lake Rd all the way to its end and you're here.

🪵 Sleeping & living

The cabin

Built by our father by hand in the 1960s — three bedrooms, seven beds, and two baths across two levels.

Bedrooms

Bedroom 11 king
Bedroom 21 king + 1 single
Bedroom 3 · downstairsBunk (2 singles) + small double

Bathrooms

UpstairsFull bath with tub
DownstairsBath with shower
🔥 Good to know
💧
Well water — drink upPrivate well, safe straight from the tap. Hot water can take a minute to arrive — give it a moment.
🚽
Septic systemFlush only toilet paper — no wipes (even "flushable"), paper towels, or grease down the drains.
🌡️
ThermostatOn the wall by the pantry shelf area. Furnace plus the fireplace for cold nights; firewood is free, in the wood bins under the deck.
🌬️
No A/C — plenty of fansLake air cools things down; fans are provided throughout.
🗑️
Trash & recyclingWhen a can fills up, bag it and put it in the A-Frame garage.
🛏️
Extra beddingPillows & blankets in the chest in the master bedroom; couch throws in the living room closet; air mattress in the master closet.
💡
Deck & beach lightsDeck rope lights plug in on either side of the deck (small button on each plug). Beach flood lights: grey switch right of the sliding door — flip on for motion, on-off-on to stay on.
🦟
Bring bug sprayThese are dense Northwoods — summer gets buggy.

🧺 Amenities

☕ Keurig + drip coffee 🍳 Full kitchen, stocked for cooking 🍟 Air fryer + toaster oven 📺 TV with Roku 🏖️ Private beach 🛶 Kayaks, canoe & rowboat 🦺 Life jackets provided 🍖 Charcoal grill 🔥 Fire pit + s'mores kit 🪵 Free firewood 🚨 Smoke + CO alarms
🛶 Get on the water

On the lake

Kayaks, a canoe, and a rowboat are yours to use from the beach — Allen Lake is calm, quiet, and great for paddling.

Lake safety

🎒 In the beach shed

The shed on the lower grass area has everything for a day on the water:

🛶 Kayak paddles 🏄 Paddleboard paddle 🚣 Rowboat oars 🦺 Life jackets & vests 🪑 Foldable lawn chairs ⛱️ Beach umbrella & stand ⛺ 8×8 canopy 🛟 Floating seat cushions 🔥 Tiki oil for fire pit & torches
❄️ On the ice — winter
  • Never assume the ice is safe. Thickness varies across the lake and changes fast — check conditions locally before going out.
  • No vehicles on the ice, ever.
  • Keep children and dogs off the ice unless an adult has verified conditions.
  • Snowmobiling and all ice activities are entirely at your own risk.
🪧 House rules

A few things we ask

This has been our family's home for over 60 years — please treat it with the same care.

🏡 The essentials
  • Maximum 8 guests.
  • Smoke-free home — no smoking or vaping indoors. Step outside and dispose of anything safely.
  • Well-behaved dogs are welcome, subject to the host's approval. Keep them leashed on the property and clean up after them.
  • Please log out of any streaming accounts you sign into on the TV before you leave.
🔥 Fire safety
  • Always use the fireplace screen with an indoor fire, and never leave a fire unattended. Put the metal cover back over the fireplace when you're done.
  • Grilling: use the protective floor plate and keep the grill away from the house.
  • Fully extinguish every bonfire before heading in or to bed — drown it, stir it, and confirm it's cold to the touch.
  • Burn only the firewood provided, and keep fires a safe distance from the cabin and trees.
  • Open the fireplace damper fully before lighting, and leave it open until the ashes are cold.
  • Ashes go in a metal ash can only — never a plastic bin or the trash. Let them cool at least 24 hours; ask Patrick where the can is kept.
🚿 Septic system
  • The cabin runs on a septic system — please flush only toilet paper. No wipes, paper towels, or hygiene products, even if labeled "flushable."
  • Avoid pouring grease or food scraps down the drains.
🌲 Respecting the land
  • This has been our family's home for over 60 years — please treat it with the same care.
  • Enjoy the 40 acres and the quiet. Take your memories, and leave the Northwoods as you found them.
🗺️ Our picks

Eat & explore

The family's favorites, from minutes away to a short drive. Most food spots are in Land O' Lakes, WI — about 15 minutes south, just over the state line.

🛒 Supplies
LVD Plaza5 min

Watersmeet's grocery store and gas at US-45 & US-2 — the closest stop for basics. There's a Dollar General in town too.

Jensen-Akins HardwareConover, WI

Hardware, appliances, and lawn & garden — the fix-it stop if you need a part or a tool. 156 Hwy 45, Conover.

Charlie's Northwoods Market~15 min

Land O' Lakes' full grocery — fresh produce, hand-cut steaks and ground beef daily, local bakery deliveries, plus beer, wine, and liquor. Best for a real shop.

The Sawbuck~15 min

Cozy coffeehouse, award-winning micro bakery, and local gift shop in Land O' Lakes. Cinnamon rolls and espresso worth the drive — mornings only (Wed–Sun).

🍽️ Eat & drink
Bent's CampFish fry

Historic 1896 lodge on Mamie Lake and the Cisco Chain — the Northwoods classic. Famous fish fry Tuesdays & Fridays, plus the best pizza around.

The Twilight Supper ClubNice dinner

A true Wisconsin supper club: slow-roasted prime rib Saturdays (go early — it runs out), Friday cod fry, a 20-item salad bar, and the best Old Fashioned in the Northwoods. Nightly campfire for the kids. Closed Sun–Mon.

Gateway Lodge

Dinner in a 1938 lodge — Wednesday all-you-can-eat shrimp boil, Friday fish fry, Saturday prime rib, walleye and steaks. Dinner Tue–Sat from 5.

Melanie Mae's Stage StopCash only

Family-run pizzeria in downtown Land O' Lakes — outstanding pizza and calzones with homemade crust. Bring cash. 715-547-3700

The Alley Lanes & TavernBowling

Six historic lanes, arcade, pool, darts, and pizza — family-friendly and great for a rainy afternoon. 715-547-3620

Brew's PubCasual

Northwoods sports bar — cheese curds, wings, famous Brew Sauce, Friday fish fry. Sits right on snowmobile trail #6.

Sugar Bush RestaurantWatersmeet

Inside Northern Waters Casino Resort — Northwoods menu, buffets, and nightly specials. Closest sit-down dinner to the cabin.

Dari MaidIce cream

The classic drive-in ice cream stop in Land O' Lakes — the after-dinner tradition. 715-547-3040

🏞️ Get outside
Paddle Allen LakeYour beach

Kayaks, canoe, and rowboat are right there — go. Mornings are usually glass-calm.

Sylvania Wilderness~20 min

18,000 acres and 34 named wilderness lakes in the Ottawa National Forest — some of the best flatwater paddling in the Midwest, with old-growth forest and crystal-clear water.

Sylvania Outfitters~10 min

Canoe and kayak rentals, gear, and trip advice — the only outfitter permitted for the Sylvania Wilderness. One mile west of Watersmeet on US-2.

Bond Falls~30 min

Fifty feet of cascades near Paulding with an accessible boardwalk and six viewing decks. Vehicle access mid-May to mid-October; the lower lot needs a Michigan Recreation Passport. Snacks and ice cream at the Bond Falls Outpost up top.

Fishing

Walleye, bass, and panfish right off the dock. Michigan license required — buy one online in minutes from the Michigan DNR.

Watersmeet Trout HatcheryKids love it

Family trout fishing at a 1930s hatchery — no license needed, no catch limit, free gear and bait. On Old US-2 east of town. 906-358-4331

Gateway Golf Club~15 min

A 1941 nine-holer that straddles the state line — four holes in Michigan, five in Wisconsin. Drive a ball into the next state. 715-547-3929

Ottawa National Forest Visitors CenterWatersmeet

Maps, trail advice, and ranger tips for the forest that surrounds you. 906-358-4724

Lake of the Clouds~1 hr 15

The most photographed view in the UP, from a fully accessible overlook in the Porcupine Mountains. Worth the day trip.

StargazingFree

Some of the darkest skies east of the Mississippi. Step onto the dock at midnight and look up.

🌙 After dark, rainy days & winter
The Paulding Light~10 min

A mysterious light that appears in the valley off Old US-45 nearly every night. Ghost lantern or distant headlights? Drive up after dark and decide for yourself — it's a local rite of passage.

Northern Waters Casino ResortWatersmeet

Slots, table games, and a sportsbook, open late — plus an 18-hole golf course cut through the Ottawa National Forest, open to the public.

Ski Brule~45 min

Family-friendly downhill with 17 trails and terrain parks — one of the first hills in the Midwest to open each season and one of the last to close.

Big Powderhorn Mountain~1 hr

The bigger mountain: 45 trails, 9 chairlifts, 600+ feet of vertical, and a Bavarian-style village at the base.

Cross-country skiing~10 min

Groomed trails and rentals at Sylvania Outfitters, right outside Watersmeet.

Headwaters PolarisRentals

Snowmobile, UTV, and watercraft rentals with GPS-equipped late-model Polaris machines — 2,000 miles of trails from their door on US-45. 906-358-8888

Snowmobiling

Groomed trails run all through the area — Brew's Pub sits right on trail #6. Ask Patrick about the nearest access.

Just in case

Emergency & care

In any emergency

Call 911

Tell them exactly where you are:

24204 Allen Lake Rd
Watersmeet, Gogebic County, MI 49969
GPS: 46.2206, -89.1689
Gravel road ~1 mile off US Hwy 45 — cross the bridge to the cabin at the end of the road.

Can't reach 911? Call or text Patrick next door: 847-343-9349

Medical care

Nearest ER — Aspirus Iron River Hospital~45 min

24/7 emergency department
1400 W Ice Lake Rd, Iron River, MI · 906-265-6121

Minor care — Lac Vieux Desert Health Center~10 min

Walk-in clinic open to the public, Mon–Fri 7:30 AM–4 PM, with a pharmacy on site
N5241 US Hwy 45, Watersmeet · 906-358-4588

In the cabin

Smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms are installed. Ask Patrick where the fire extinguisher and first-aid kit are kept.

✅ Before you go

Checkout — before 1:00 PM

Tap them off as you go. Thanks for taking care of the place.

All set — safe travels, and thank you for staying with us. 🌲

How was your stay?

Tap a star — go on, be honest.

🌲 Four generations

Our story

How a lake, a father, and four sons became this place.

In 1965, our father Bill bought this stretch of shoreline on Allen Lake, and by 1967 he'd built this A-frame by hand — a summer escape for the family back in Illinois. For years he split his time between the two, flying up to the lake whenever he could while the family settled in for the season.

In 1995, Bill and his wife, Sharon, made the move north for good, building the house next door and making Allen Lake their home.

Bill's four sons run the property today, now with a growing crowd of grandchildren of their own, and Patrick — one of the four — lives right next door, continuing what his parents started. Keep an eye out for Pearl, Bill's dog, who has the run of the place and may wander over to say hello.

We're honored to share a piece of our family's history with you. Thank you for taking care of it like it's your own.

✍️ Stay in touch

Sign the guestbook

Leave a note for Patrick and the family — a hello, a favorite memory, or your info if you'd like to hear from us about future stays.

Saved straight to our private guestbook — thank you!

Prefer to text or email it instead?
📸 Four seasons on Allen Lake

The photo album

Tap any photo to view it full-screen.

Share your photos

Got a great shot from your stay — sunrise on the dock, the kids on the beach, the one that didn't get away? Pick your favorites below and they'll be added straight to our photo album.