Goin' to the Lake: Amelia and AJ head up to Deer River

DEER RIVER, Minn. — WCCO's great summer road trip is back! This July, WCCO is heading out across Minnesota and western Wisconsin for the quintessential summer experience — time at the lake.

To kick things off, AJ Hilton and Amelia Santaniello headed 200 miles north to Deer River in Itasca County.

The town itself is pretty small with fewer than a thousand people calling it home year-round. But don't be mistaken, the area is the perfect escape from the cities with plenty of forest trails, rivers and lakes to explore.

Amelia and AJ started their trip at beautiful Lake Winnibigoshish, about 20 minutes west of the heart of Deer River.

Lake Winnie — as a lot of people call it — is surrounded by the Chippewa National Forest and Leech Lake Reservation. It's the fifth-largest lake in Minnesota.

The lake is known for excellent fishing. It's packed with walleye, northern pike, bluegill and bass.

The Pines Resort and Campground

The Pines Resort and Campground is the oldest resort on Lake Winnie.

Back in 1883, the property belonged to the damkeeper. After the dam was replaced in the late 1880s, cabins were built on the land. In 1912, it was sold as the Pines Resort and has been that ever since.

While a lot of the cabins have been updated over time, a few have original logs.

"We try to keep it a mom-and-pop atmosphere. The cabins are clean and cozy. We keep it affordable so families that make minimum wage can afford to take their kids on a two-to-three-day vacation," owner Chad Mertz said.

Wild rice harvesting

The surrounding wetlands and pristine waters have helped make this part of the state some of the best areas for growing and harvesting wild rice.

For many years, basically all of the wild rice produced in the world came from Minnesota, and most still does.

For generations, the Leech Lake Band has been harvesting these waters every fall.

Learn more about how it's harvested in the video below.

Blueberry Bowl

The Blueberry Bowl was one of the top spots WCCO viewers recommended AJ and Amelia visit in Deer River.

You know they couldn't pass up a chance to have some fun or try the best pizza in the area.