Ideal Transfer Station

Small transfer station in Pequot Lakes that locals use when the landfill is too far to bother with. It handles compacted loads that get trucked out, so it's mostly residential folks and small haulers stopping in. Easy to find on W Island Lake Drive.

Drive up to a single entrance with a small attendant booth and a scale nearby; vehicles usually stop twice - once in and once out - since weight is how things are handled. Pull into the lanes that lead to the tipping area where trucks dump into large containers and compactors; the place looks more industrial than tidy, with concrete ramps and metal bins. Recycling and drop-off containers are often grouped just past the booth, with clear piles of wood, metal, and general trash around the main pad. Winter can change the game: there may be indoor drop-off areas or covered bays, and surfaces get icy so take it slow on the ramps.