Headlines / News on Horseshoe Lake, Merrifield MN:

Starting on July 1, 2025, a new law will require some adults and youth who operate motorboats—including personal watercraft—to have a valid watercraft operator’s permit. People who already have a watercraft operator’s permit are not affected by the law, which is designed to make boating safer by ensuring everyone operating a motorized watercraft knows the rules and is properly trained. Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
Adult operators:
- Permit requirement: Some adults (defined below) will need a valid operator’s permit to drive any motorboat or personal watercraft starting July 1, 2025.
- Exemptions: Some adults are exempt from this requirement. Check the law for specific exemptions.
- Supervised operation: People without a permit still can operate a boat, but only if there’s an accompanying operator (defined below) onboard.
Young operators:
- Restrictions on high-powered watercraft: Young operators (people less than 12 years old), can’t operate a personal watercraft or any motorboat with a motor over 75 horsepower.
- Low-powered motorboats: Young operators can operate a motorboat that’s not a personal watercraft and has a motor under 75 horsepower as long as there is an accompanying operator in the motorboat.
Who is considered an adult operator?
- Is 12 years old or older, and
- Was born after these dates:
- June 30, 2004 (starts July 1, 2025)
- June 30, 2000 (starts July 1, 2026)
- June 30, 1996 (starts July 1, 2027)
- June 30, 1987 (starts July 1, 2028)
This means people born after June 30, 2004, will need a permit to operate a boat starting in 2025. The permit requirement will gradually apply to older age groups over the next few years.
Who is considered an accompanying operator?
- A person 21 years of age or older who:
- Is in a personal watercraft or other type of motorboat;
- Is within immediate reach of the controls of the motor; and
- Possesses a valid operator’s permit or is an exempt operator.
Who is considered an exempt operator?
“Exempt operator” means a motorboat operator, including a personal watercraft operator, who is 12 years of age or older and who:
- Possesses a valid license to operate a motorboat issued for maritime personnel by the United States Coast Guard under Code of Federal Regulations, title 46, part 10, or a marine certificate issued by the Canadian government.
- Is not a resident of the state, is temporarily using the waters of the state for a period not to exceed 60 days, and:
- meets any applicable requirements of the state or country of residency; or
- possesses a Canadian pleasure craft operator’s card;
- is operating a motorboat under a dealer’s license according to section 86B.405; or
- is operating a motorboat during an emergency.
Key takeaways:
- Adult and youth permits: Young operators and some adults need a valid operator’s permit to operate certain motorized watercraft. For adults born after June 30, 2004, the requirement starts in 2025. The law will extend to older age groups over time.
- Youth restrictions: Young operators can’t operate boats with more than 75 horsepower. They can operate boats (that are not PWC) with less than 75 horsepower if they’re with an accompanying operator.
- Gradual rollout: The law will phase in over the next few years. The operator permit requirement starts in 2025 and gradually expands through 2028.
This new law aims to improve safety on the water by making sure everyone operating a motorized watercraft is trained and qualified.
Rentals:
- 18 and older: Must have a valid watercraft operator’s permit.
- Under 18: Cannot rent watercraft.
SIGN UP NOW to take the watercraft operator’s permit course: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/boatwater/education.html
Boat parade coming July 4th at 12n. Cash for top 3 finishers!!!
See past winners on this website under gallery or past boat parade winners and below.
Horseshoe Lake info
Horseshoe Lake (formerly Sandbar) is an 888 acre lake located about 7 miles south of Crosslake, in Crow Wing County.
It is bordered by Highway 3 and Pelican Lake to the west. East Horseshoe Lake Road borders the east, Mission Park Drive to the south, North Horseshoe Lake Road enters from the west (dead-ends) and Pine Cone Lane (also dead-ends) enters from the east to border the north end of the lake.
Huxtable Point nearly divides the lakes in two. It has one public access located on the southeast side near Mission Park. The maximum depth is – approximately 55 feet, with about 59% of the lake averaging 15 feet deep.
A majority of the home and cabin owners are members of the Horseshoe Lake Property Owner’s Association (HLPOA).
Meeting Dates
2025 HLPOA Board Meetings Schedule
Mission Township Hal
- Sat May 3, 8:30a
- Sat June 7,830a
- Thurs. July 10th, 7pm
- Thurs. July 31, 7pm
- Sat August 2, 8am-11am Annual Meeting
- Thurs. August 14, 7pm
- Sat. September 18, 7pm
Mission Township meetings
2nd Monday of each month 7pm start https://missiontownship.org/
Important Dates:
- Transfer Station open 9am-3pm. 1st Saturday in April thru last Saturday in October (April1st – October 28th).
- HLPOA Boat Parade July 4th
- HLPOA Annual Meeting August 5th, 8:30am
- Kids Fishing Contest Saturday September 2, 8am
- HLPOA Potluck Saturday September 2, 11:30a Mission Park Pavilion
- AIS boat inspections at boat landing mid May — thru September
Ice Out History
- 2025–East Basin April 11, West Basin April 12
- 2024 Lake re-froze week of March 24-gone by April 2!
- 2024–East Basin March 11,West Basin March 13
- 2023–April 30-May 1,Both Basins
- 2022—May 1 East Basin, May 3 West Basin
- 2021—April 1-3 Both Basins
- 2020—April 11 East Basin April 12 West Basin
- 2019—April 21 East Basin April 22 West Basin
- 2018—May 1 Both basins
- 2017—April 2-East Basin/April 3-West Basin
- 2016-March 29-East Basin/March 30-West Basin
- 2015—April 6-West Basin /April 7-East Basin
- 2014—April 27
- 2013—May 11
- 2012—March 22
- 2011—April 19
- 2010—April 1
News on Horseshoe Lake
Transfer Station Open 9am-3pm
The Horseshoe Lake Property Owners Association (HLPOA)
is always looking for volunteers for our annual projects.
If you have an interest please contact:
info@horseshoelakemn.com Some items this board has done over the past 15 years is: -Organized and created funding for dredging the channel between the two bays in 2008-09. -Established AIS monitoring at the boat landing . -Recently stopped the proposed cluster development with B-dirt and Crow Wing County.
Recap of zebra mussels in Horseshoe Lake
One of the county inspectors found a Zebra Mussel on a weed that was attached to a boat leaving the Horseshoe landing. The DNR inspected our lake and he found a Zebra Mussel on the east basin attached to a clam, (they did not find any near the landing) , found another just on the west side of the channel in about 5 feet of water and also on the west side of the west basin attached to a golf ball. DNR said they looked to be 3-5 years old! They also said they will be installing signs at the boat landing stating the lake has invasive species. They mentioned that it is difficult for Zebra Mussels to thrive in our lake because of the lack of substrate such as rocks. Pelican Lake’s infestation has stayed limited, thinks, for the same reason.. DNR is more than willing to answer questions we have, but he cannot do face to face meetings.
We can contact him by phone, email or Zoom:
Tim Plude
Cell: 218-368-9205
Email: timothy.plude@state.mn.us
Annual Membership Drive
The Horseshoe Lake Property Owners Association’s annual membership drive is August each year. The board would appreciate everyone to pay August as our fiscal year runs August through July.To pay current dues please mail check for $60 or pay online through PayPal HLPOA Dues page.
Mail to:
Horseshoe Lake Property Owner’s Association
PO Box 86
Merrifield, MN.
Wildlife Gallery
Photos taken around Horseshoe Lake. See some of our wildlife.
2022 Boat Parade

HLPOA Signs
Show your support for HLPOA by displaying our HLPOA signs.
Each sign is cost $20, with the cost covering the sign and remainder going to the Lake Protection Fund. If interested please email Pam Heller at pamheller24@gmail.com.
HLPOAQ Contact Information
The HLPOA is looking to update its membership addresses for the newsletter distribution (primarily thru email) and the general membership information. Membership information will ONLY be used internally. It will not be distributed, sold etc. To update your information, or inform the board of a sale or new owners in your neighborhood, please contact Judy Deis by email at: mdeis@comcast.net