Goin' To The Lake

Goin' To The Lake: Frank Vascellaro and Heather Brown head to the Motley-Staples area

By WCCO Staff, Frank Vascellaro, Heather Brown

Updated on: August 2, 2024 / 6:32 PM CDT / CBS Minnesota

Goin’ to the Lake: Frank Vascellaro and Heather Brown visit Staples

STAPLES, Minn. — WCCO's Goin' To The Lake adventures continue two hours northwest of the Twin Cities in the heart of cabin country.

This week, Heather Brown and Frank Vascellaro traveled to the Staples-Motley area.

Staples is just off Highway 10 between Little Falls and Wadena and just up the road from Motley.

Just like most great cabin country stops in Minnesota, Staples has a bit of everything, from water sports to bike trails to river tubing.

Tubing down the Crow River

After facing fears of heights, to fishing off Minnesota's longest wooden Pier, Frank and Heather have had a busy two days. To cap off their trip to the Motley-Staples area they spend their afternoon tubing down the Crow River.

Frank and Heather cap off their Goin' to the Lake trip with a lazy trip down the Crow River

Batcher House Opera

Frank and Heather check out the Batcher House Opera, dating back to 1907, and see what it has to offer.

Goin' to the Lake: Frank and Heather stop at the Batcher Block Opera House

The Blob

Frank and Heather are in the Motley-Staples area and Heather got to experience "The Blob."

Frank Vascellaro launches Heather Brown into a lake

Staples-Motley restaurants

Frank and Heather stop by some local restaurants ahead of a day of fun in the Staples-Motley area.

Frank Vascellaro and Heather Brown head to restaurants in the Staples area

Fishing on Dower Lake

No Goin' to the Lake trip is complete without a little fishing competition. Frank and Heather drop the line off Minnesota's longest wooden fishing pier on Dower Lake.

Frank and Heather fish of Minnesota's longest wooden pier

Old Tyme Trading Post and Silo Ice Cream

Frank and Heather knew they had to stop when they saw their names outside the Old Tyme Trading Post and Silo Ice Cream.

A look at the Old Tyme Trading Post in Motley

Tri-County Stockyards

We do all these trips to show off all the fun things to do in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, but we also like to show what makes these communities. Up here, it's farming.

What used to be a lot of dairy farms have transitioned into beef.

Frank and Heather visited the Tri-County Stockyards and got a lesson in the fast-paced world of a cattle auction.

Goin' to the Lake: Morey's Fine Fish and Seafood

Living Legacy Gardens

Living Legacy Gardens is outside Staples and part of the Central Lakes College Ag and Energy Center.

The farmland here was actually purchased by Staples High School more than 50 years ago.

Frank and Heather got a look around to see how the fields surrounding us make an impact on the beans you buy at the grocery store.

Learning the science of farming in Staples | Goin’ to the Lake

Camp Shamineau

Heather and Frank stopped by Camp Shamineau in Motley on Thursday morning.

There are about 650 campers there this week.

The outdoor activities available to those kids are abundant: horseback riding, laser tag, archery, axe throwing and a high ropes course.

Frank and Heather stop by Camp Shamineau in Motley

WCCO Staff

The WCCO Staff is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on WCCO.com.

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