Schneider’s Lake: A Laid-Back Boating Guide to the Horseshoe Chain in Minnesota
Part of the Horseshoe Chain of lakes along the Sauk River, Schneider’s Lake is a perfect destination for anyone looking for great fishing, an aquatic family adventure, or a calm day of cruising around under the beautiful Minnesota sky.
The Horseshoe Chain is a series of twelve interconnected lakes, and Schneider’s Lake is a small oasis of calm that connects to the chain via no-wake channels. That means that Schneider’s Lake boating is some of the best in the entire chain. The calm, well-stocked waters and two miles of shoreline with easy access to amazing food and drink makes Schneider’s a perfect place to get away from it all.
Your Boat Club has a fleet of boats that can be rented for varying amounts of time based on your requirements. And, with a membership, you get discounts at many local businesses in nearby Cold Spring.
Start at Your Boat Club - Schneider’s Lake Marina
Located on the southern side of Shady’s Long Shots (17467 Fairway Circle, Cold Spring, MN), Your Boat Club is the best place to go for Schneider’s Lake boat rentals. When you go to Your Boat Club, you get access to a well-maintained fleet of boats and a range of amenities that will help make your day on the water the best it can be.
You’ll find ample parking, dockside gas, ice for sale, easy check-ins, boat rentals (naturally), and available membership subscription opportunities. You can also rent rope and inner tubes for a fun afternoon spent tubing — if you’re a member, you can bring your own.
And whether you are looking for pontoon rentals or for any other style of boat, you can rest assured that Your Boat Club will provide a vessel in good condition. That’s because YBC only rents out boats that are 18 months old or newer. Once they age out, the boats are put up for sale.
The Chain at a Glance: What You Need to Know Before Getting Out on the Water
The Horseshoe Chain of lakes offers everything a boating enthusiast could ask for, but there are some important laws that govern travel in some areas. It isn’t too complicated and there are signs that you can see, but in some areas, you need to be sure that you aren’t generating a wake.
The channels between lakes are no-wake zones. That means boating in those areas is governed by local Ordinance 162. Essentially, the ordinance says that, in those slow and no-wake areas, you need to run your boat at the slowest speed you can while maintaining steerage — generally, that means under five miles per hour and under.
You’ll also want to keep right on channels, just as you would when driving and be on the lookout for anglers at channel mouths. If you follow the buoys, you’ll be fine. Following those rules prevents your chain of lakes boating from infringing on anyone else’s.
Easy Day-Routes from Schneider’s Launch & Go
Sometimes you just want to drift in the water with no particular place to go, but when you want to see everything a family boating trip to the Horseshoe Chain can show you, planning a route is a good idea.
Because the waters are so interconnected, there are several day routes you can take to explore the Chain and still make it back to Schneider’s Lake for the perfect view. If you aren’t sure what loop around the lakes you want to make, talk to your friendly Your Boat Club team member. They can help you find the best route for you on a lake map of Sauk River chain.
In the meantime, here are some of the most popular day routes that the Horseshoe Chain has to offer.
Schneider’s to Horseshoe Lake
A very nice and relaxing route when doing some Schneider’s Lake boating is to take a short loop through the channels to Horseshoe Lake. The calm trip (which includes traveling through no-wake zones) is great for taking photos and the return trip is as simple as going back the way you came.
Schneider’s to Cedar Island Lake Out-and-Back
Cedar Island Lake provides a nice change of scenery from Schneider’s. The nice thing about doing an out-and-back trip to Cedar Island is that it has a lot of open water that is great for a leisurely cruise before heading back to Schneider’s.
Schneider’s to Long Lake Mini-Adventure
Traveling along the Long Lake chain of lakes is a bit of a longer trip than the previous day-routes, but it can be a great idea when the Horseshoe has a lot more boats on the water than you want to be around. Just give yourself plenty of time for travel along the no-wake zones and have fun!
Dock-and-Dine Options
No day out on the lake is complete without a great meal and refreshing drink. Fortunately, Schneider’s Lake has plenty of dock-and-dine options both right on the shore and just a short drive away from the docks. Here are just two of the best options you should consider:
Shady’s Long Shots
Your Boat Club marina is located at Shady’s Long Shots docks and you couldn’t ask for a better place to grab a bite. Shady’s menu is full of classic dishes that are made with care and precision. From their hand-pattied burgers to their pizzas, Shady’s Long Shots works hard to make every meal the best on the lake.
Third Street Brewhouse
After your day of cruising around the lake, a great drink really hits the spot. Third Street Brewhouse is just a short drive from the Your Boat Club Marina and is definitely worth the trip. They rotate their beers seasonally so you’ll always get just the right brew for the night.
Check out what’s on tap here!
Best Times and Conditions for Boating
If you want a more beginner-friendly boating experience, heading out in the morning or evening is going to be best for you. At those times of day, Schneider’s Lake is typically calm and without much traffic.
Weekends are typically a bit more crowded on the water. However, as Horseshoe Lake and Cedar Island Lake get crowded, Schneider’s often remains a lovely, quiet oasis for a relaxing outing.
No matter what time you’d like to get on the lake, it’s important that you double check the Sauk River water levels and the levels for Schneider’s Lake. The state updates water level information regularly, so it’s pretty easy to stay informed before you make your trip to the docks.
Fishing Snapshot
One of the best reasons to get out on the water is to catch some fish. Despite being a relatively small lake, Schneider’s is very deep. That means that a wide range of fish thrive in its waters. It’s such a great spot for fish, that they stopped stocking it with fish several years ago because the population had grown spectacularly.
The fish that anglers chase in Schneider’s Lake include panfish, bass, and walleye. The channel mouths are excellent fishing spots, just be sure to drop anchor out of the way of boats traveling in between the lakes.
Off the Water Fun Nearby
The lake isn’t the only place to have fun. When planning a trip up for some Schneider’s Lake boating, try to give yourself room to do some activities on dry land. There are some great choices right by the lake.
Rich-Spring Golf Club
Located right above Schneider’s Lake, Rich-Spring Golf Club has 18 glorious holes for your golfing pleasure. One bonus about golfing at Rich-Spring is that Shady’s Long Shots is right off the course, so if you want to fish in the morning and golf in the afternoon, you wouldn’t even need to hop in your car between activities.
Island View Resort
With 15 permanent cabins and plenty of permanent campsites, Island View Resort is a great place to make your home base when you come out to the Horseshoe Chain. There’s no better place to kick back between lake excursions.
Safety and Etiquette Reminders
The importance of obeying no-wake zone rules cannot be overstated. It makes traveling between lakes much safer for everyone. So remember to stay to the right, yield when a channel is narrow, and be aware of anglers by the channel mouths.
When it comes to gassing up the boat you’ve rented, Your Boat Club only rents out boats with full gas tanks and only charges for the fuel you use. If you need to refill your tank midday, a public gas dock Cold Spring side of the lake is available.
And finally, be polite. Don’t play music too loud near shore or when you’re loading in and loading out from your boat. Everyone is looking to have a good time on the water, so be considerate of your fellow boaters.
Boating Made Simple with Your Boat Club
Something to keep in mind before you head up for some Cold Spring boating is that Your Boat Club makes getting out on the water as simple and painless as possible, but there are only so many boats in the fleet.
Your Boat Club limits the number of members that sign up each year to ensure that membership doesn’t outstrip the number of boats. And while one-time rentals are absolutely available, membership brings perks with local businesses and gives you access to all 40 Your Boat Club locations.
Several membership types and pier levels are available. Your membership type determines which days boats will be available to you and your pier level determines the different kinds of boats you’ll be able to access.
Members also get access to a “Reserve Now” button that allows them to quickly reserve a boat before anyone else can get it. So signing up for a membership is the best way to guarantee you get the boat you want for this trip and the next and the next.
Schneider’s Lake Boating is Calling You
With access to the rest of the Horseshoe Chain and the Long Lake chain of lakes, Schneider’s Lake is an excellent starting point for your Stearns County adventures. Its depths and calm surface allow for great fishing and relaxing cruises.
And Your Boat Club makes setting out on the lake simple. Additionally, you can get great food, drinks, and play some golf just a short walk from shore. What more could you want for a getaway with family or friends?
Reach out to reserve a boat or sign up for a membership today so that you can get everything you want out of a few days of Schneider’s Lake boating. The water is calling you.
