Our Cottage atop of Big Gillette Lake(a quaint no gas motor lake) offers a unique Northwoods experience. Nestled on a dead end road in the middle of the 1.5 million acre Nicolet National Forest, enjoy panoramic views of the lake.
Soak in the relaxing hot tub King/Queens chair with a birds eye view of the lake!
We are on a ATV/Snowmobile route. 1 mile away from being on the trail!!
We have close to 100 five star reviews on Air BandB(check them out!)
*TIP click on pic for caption
The space
We (Kimberly and Casey) first met in the lakewood area 30 years ago and purchased our beautiful Cottage over ten years ago and have made so many unforgettable memories with our family along the way. It started out as a lake house, but didn’t take long to feel like a lake home. After some thought, we decided to open up our home away from home so more families could share this unique Northwoods experience!
SUMMER TIME
The property has over 700 feet of lake frontage on Big Gillette Lake with 5 acres of heavily wooded land and is very private. *The vast lake frontage provides much privacy, but the usable area is about 100 feet. We have enjoyed many long summer days/nights just relaxing on the dock and playing around in the small sand area right from our shoreline. When the Sun is out, we have found that fresh water snorkeling is a fun activity right off of the dock, you can see large mouth bass, perch, and bluegill!!! Although it is a small area, we have the only sandy hardbottom area on both lakes. It is perfect for launching the canoe/kayaks, letting the little ones play with their floaties, or a personal favorite, putting a chair in the water and watching the sunset. *Please note that there are weeds along the dock and on both sides of the small sandy area. There is a small spot right off the dock where we jump in that you can stand as well. Depending on the water depth is between 4-5 feet. If you swim to the float raft the depth of water is betwween 10-12feet.
*Please note there are two flights of stairs to the lake.
Swim out to the floater raft in clear Northwoods waters! We have everything you need to get your water fix!! (2), kayaks (1), canoes, noodles and fun floaters to enjoy your favorite beverage, right from the middle of the lake! We even have an awesome pontoon available!(additional charge)
We have spent nearly ten years learning and enjoying the fishing on the lake, and found that some of the best fishing is right off of the dock. Though we did mount a few fish on our trophy wall located in the living room in the beginning years, we have learned to practice catch and release to conserve the blessing of catching a Northwoods fish for generations to come!
Although you may get enough exercise using the stairs to the lake, you may want to start your day with a walk/run down the dead end road and back. (1 mile roundtrip) or as we have done, continue on past the Jones Family Lake Home to extend the run/walk while enjoying the forest!
We have an excellent vinyl collection and record player for your listening enjoyment. Located in the 3 season room with a wood burning stove and forest views, drop the needle on your favorite record, from the Beatles to the Stones! There is a small basketball hoop for a game of “pig” or “around the world” on a rainy day. We also have a wii gaming console, not to mention a closet full of nostalgic board games!
WINTER TIME
Snowmobile Trails are with 1.5 miles from our place.
We Love the Winters up here!! Wintery snowscapes while snowshoeing the lake (4 pairs of snowshoes provided) Or cozy up to one of two wood burning fireplaces with a hot cup of coffee/tea/hot coco and just watch the snowflakes fall!
Snowmobile trails are within minutes of the driveway.
*The 3 season room is only heated when the wood burning stove is going, so in the spring/fall/winter this room will be cold overnight.
At night, cozy up around the firepit, perfect for making Smores and telling ghost stories under the stars. Make sure to turn off the lights for the full effect. The Milky Way hits different up here! Shooting stars and fireflies are almost guaranteed.
At the Jones Family Lake Home (as well as the opportunities in the nearby Nicolet National Forest and the surrounding lakes and towns) it is up to you on the kind of vacation experience you like. Let your imagination roam!
Where tranquil waters meet Northwoods Forest.
Make yourself at home. The Jones Family Lake Home.
Guest access
Guests have access to the entire cottage (minus one room on the lower level where we store our belongings). On the main floor, a full kitchen and dining area sit adjacent to the connected living room where a small cozy wood burning stove awaits. There is also a separate living room(tv room) with a sofa sleeper for additional sleeping space. A full bathroom and shower are located in the hallway from the two bedrooms on the main floor. (one with 2 twin beds and full closet, and one with 1 King bed and 1 closet) A set of stairs leads to the downstairs private suite! A relaxing large room with a Queen size bed and a sofa sleeper for extra guests. The private suite has a full bathroom with standup shower, and a private walkout with French doors. You can enjoy the very large 3 seasons room (*only heat source is wood burning stove, so this room will get cold overnite) with a woodburning fireplace and plenty of space for boardgames ect., Two seperate lawn spaces provide the perfect place for a game of horseshoes, a competitive game of croquet, or badminton. There are two large flights of stairs that takes you away from the house to the lake, where there is a separate lakeside firepit area. A mulched path leads you to the large private dock and small sandy beach area, One canoe, two kayaks, and even a pontoon boat(extra charge) await you lakeside. We also have a nice sized shed full of swimming noodles, and floaties!!
One things for sure!
You won’t have time for everything in one stay, especially if you do nothing at all! Sometimes that is just what the doctor ordered!
Other things to note
While we have plenty of beautiful waterfront area, there are two large flights of stairs that lead you to the lake. These stairs are easier going down then up, and after ten years I can say that they have kept us in shape! Take your time going up and you should be fine. Remember a relaxing hot tub with panoramic views awaits as your reward! We keep the shoreline as natural as possible to provide habitat for wildlife, keep the water clean, and create picturesque views.
Take Notice!!!
Big/Little Gillett Lakes allow paddle boats or electric motors only, which makes for a wonderfully quiet and peaceful experience. If you want to bring a motorboat, there are nearby larger lakes with public access. Please take extreme care to follow these rules to help preserve the pristine lake environment Big/Little Gillett lake provides.
We do have an antenna for local channels, to catch up on weather forecasts and such. We also have a sizable DVD collections coined, “Northwoods Netflix” to play in the Blue ray player. Find your favorite movie from ‘Dirty Dancing to Back to the Future!’
WIFI
There is a QR Code in our welcome guide on the kitchen table.
We have a ROKU with Netflix, HULU ect. Perfect for a cozy family movie night in the northwoods.
Guest access
The private driveway has enough room for multiple cars and / or trailers (for our ATV / Snowmobile friends).
