Public Sauna and Frozen Cold Plunge: Minnesota Lakeside Wellness

Gather by campfires and warm huts after rounds of lakeside heat and chill

A public sauna and cold plunge session at an outdoor wellness village on a lakefront wilderness camp near Minneapolis. You spend two hours cycling through six wood-fired saunas of varying temperatures, plunging into hand-cut lake ice, and warming up in communal huts and around campfires. Staff are on hand to guide you through the rounds. Children from age 6 are welcome.

The experience

You arrive at a 175-acre wilderness camp just outside Minneapolis and head to the sauna village on the lakefront. The session is self-led but staffed. You move at your own pace between six distinct wood-fired saunas, each a different size and temperature range. The largest is a mobile barrel sauna that holds up to 20 people and runs two wood-burning stoves. The others let you find the heat level that suits you or work through them all. Between rounds, you soak in the community warming huts, gather in the clubhouse, or stand around the group campfires and meet other people there for the same reason.

The centerpiece is the hand-cut frozen lake ice plunge. After heating up in a sauna, you walk out onto the lake and drop into the opening. The shock and the recovery are the whole point of the hot-and-cold cycle. The staff are there to explain how the rounds work and to keep an eye on things, but the rhythm is yours. Drinking water refill stations are on site.

The village runs four days a week. Weekend spots fill up fast, so book ahead if you want a specific day.

What’s included

• Access to six wood-fired saunas.
• hand-cut frozen lake ice plunge.
• community warming huts.
• clubhouse and group campfires.
• staff guidance throughout the session.
• drinking water refill stations.

Before you book

Days and timesThursday to Sunday

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (6 to 17 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupUp to 60

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomeNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Sauna Camp

Is this one for you?Two hours is long enough to move through several saunas and plunges without rushing, but short enough to fit into an afternoon or evening without eating up your whole day. If you have a free block in the middle of your time in Minneapolis, this fills it. If you're looking for a full-day immersion, you might want to book a private session instead.

Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 17 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

How many saunas are there to choose from during the session?

Six wood-fired saunas of different shapes, sizes and temperatures. The largest is the mobile barrel sauna that fits up to 20 people and has dual wood-burning stoves. The others range in heat so you can pick one that suits you or rotate through them.

What happens between the sauna rounds?

You can warm up in the community warming huts, hang out in the clubhouse, or gather around the group campfires. The staff are there to guide you through the experience and answer questions.

Is the ice plunge part of the session, or do I pay extra?

The hand-cut frozen lake ice plunge is included in your two-hour public session. It's the cold part of the hot-and-cold cycle that defines the experience.

When does the sauna village operate?

The outdoor sauna village runs four days per week on the lakefront. Weekend sessions book up quickly, so reserve your spot in advance if you have a preferred day.