Mina Lake Recreation Area

Nestled along the wooded shores of Mina Lake, Mina Lake Recreation Area is a water-lover's haven with plenty of room for boating, fishing, and swimming. When you leave the water, a spacious campground, hiking trail, and several picnic areas provide hours of family fun. The cozy three-bedroom modern cabin sleeps up to eight people and includes a kitchen, lake access, dock and a dog house with a kennel. Guests at the modern cabin can relax on the deck that over looks beautiful Mina Lake. Reservations for the modern cabin can be made a year in advance. Campground sites are available with electricity, and the one-room cabin is furnished with beds, heating/air-conditioning and electricity. Among the amenities at Mina Lake Recreation Area are a fishing dock, modern comfort station, playground and games ready to check out. Mina was one of the first man-made lakes in northeast South Dakota. Its beginning dates back to the 1930s, when area residents sought relief from years of drought. In 1934, the Mina Dam was completed and the lake was named Shake Maza, a Lakota word for "shaped like a horseshoe." The name never quite caught on and it was later renamed (Mina) in honor of a railroad president's daughter.