Lake Calhoun

Minnesota’s most racist lake.
Lake Mde Maka Ska existed long before the white man came here. It was renamed for a pro-​slavery war secretary from South Carolina named John C. Calhoun. Calhoun believed that the spread of slavery into the back country of his own state improved public morals by ridding the countryside of the shiftless poor whites who had once held the region back. That sentiment befits the homeowners who can afford to live close to this lake and who continue his racist legacy.

This is the reason why I fell in love with Minneapolis — the lakes. Land of 10,000 Lakes definitely is the highlight of Minnesota. I ran around the three lakes, Lake Calhoun, Lake of the Isles, and Lake Harriet. It ended up being 13.4 miles of just blissful running. The morning air was nice and cool while I ran. I loved how there were separate running and biking paths so we didn’t cross each other while exercising. There were ducks and other wildlife around the lake and in the lake. Other people were also running, so it was nice being in the presence of other fellow runners. The lakes and pathways are so well kept, I can’t wait to come back again to run another 13.4 miles!

Lake Calhoun is great if you need to cool down or want to go kayaking using the rentals. The southern beach, Thomas beach tends to have more kids and teenagers there so be prepared for some angst but it’s a fun spot with a larger space for blankets and groups. One of the downsides though are the bike lanes. Around the lake it is one lane and one direction. Unfortunately they don’t do a great job on signage and folks regularly go the wrong way causing pedestrians to move or get hit.

It lacks shading in many areas of the trail. lake Harriet or Nokomis is way better. Parking is scare as well.

I can’t say enough how much I love Lake Calhoun.
Through the crazy-​long-​eight-​months of winter here in MN, Lake Calhoun is one of many reasons I grew so fond of Minneapolis!!!
Perfect place to ride your bike, go for a walk after dinner, go on dates, afternoon jogs, you name it! It calms your mind and the view is amazing.
All the large lakes in Uptown are connected and the running paths are so easy to follow. Lake Calhoun is ~3.3 miles with Lake of the Isles about ~3.1 miles! The latter is quieter if you like to be alone for a while.
All year round it is gorgeous by these lakes, but you have to check it out in the Autumn time with the beautiful Autumn colors!

Lovely 3+mile trail around the main lake. Lots of places to stop and treat. Volley ball courts, grills, boat landings, 3 beaches (1 dedicated to children with a fun playground feet away) and of course Tin Fish which is the reason everyone goes anyways!

I am a big fan of this lake, has everything to offer including amazing views. Thanks icebergs for creating our beautiful lakes.

Part of the Chain of Lakes, Lake Calhoun is a pretty ritzy area where people can go fishing and partake in watersports like swimming, windsurfing, or sailing There’s also a paved path around the whole lake available to walkers and runners! There’s another lane, I believe, for bikes, but so awesome how much this city encourages biking and pedestrian traffic.

Lake Calhoun in the fall season is unbelievable! The reflection of the clouds on the water was so clear! I didn’t realize how clear it was until I took a picture! This is a great place to just sit down and relax, enjoy the view and weather. It’s also a great place to work out. A lot of people go running around here.

When in Minnesota…
Renting a car, sorry, no, it was a minivan (for bazillion dollars at the last minute) and taking a ride to Lake Calhoun just might have been the dumbest/​smartest idea, well, ever. We won’t get into the last-​minute rental idea (even my wallet squealed in pain!), but we will talk about the need for anyone who visits Minnesota in the Fall, needs to take a drive to Lake Calhoun. I will tell you the exact words that fell out of my mouth as I walked towards the sand:
Is this real life?! I mean, SERIOUSLY?! *Mouth agape*
Yup, those were my unsophisticated, unedited words. Quite frankly, I probably stood and stared at the beauty of it all until I realized that I was standing in the middle of the runners’ path. (Surely, I irritated them all so apologies to them.)
I truly cannot express in the proper words just how gorgeous Lake Calhoun was on this specific day. I mean, no wind, not a cloud in the sky, leaves changing colors, crisp air, ducks swimming, and just Mother Nature showing me her finest work. It was a sight to see, one that I am so glad I did not miss. #perfection

It’s a body of water in the city, surrounded by trees. There are a couple of beaches, a restaurant, a rental place for kayaks, bikes, etc, and it freezes over in the winter for all of your kite-​snowboarding needs. Also the trail is maintained year round, which is nice for running and biking.
5 stars. Thanks Mother Nature and the city of Minneapolis!

I find the idea of there being Unilocal reviews for products of nature kind of hilarious. Great job on the lake, Earth, it’s pretty to run around, and blue, and I wish it wasn’t frozen half the year :(.

One of the nicest spot in Minneapolis. You can walk, jog, run, bike or just sit and watch the nice city view.

There are two paths going around to separate the bikers from the walkers/​joggers. The bike trail is a one way going clockwise. Good to know if you are trying to get to a specific destination.
You can see across and around this round lake from the entire trail so you always know exactly how far you’ve gone and how far you have left to go. This can be a good thing or a bad thing depending…
The paths here seem more busy and the traffic on the street louder than on the lovely, quiet Lake of the Isles across the way. I also didn’t notice any big beautiful houses, but that’s maybe because I was busy eying my running finish line across the lake the whole time…
I am not a people watcher, so I was probably oblivious of anything interesting, which is why a lot of people like this lake. A pretty willow tree is more likely to catch my eye. (I will admit to running behind a blond pony tail as a pacer for a while though… :)

Minneapolis is known for its city lakes. Calhoun is great for so much…
There is awesome bike and walking paths about 3 miles around. The beaches are nice, but you may want to re think swimming this year LOL! Great areas for picnics, and volleyball. Rentals for water sports available too! If your hungry you can grab a bite.
The houses are gorgeous, people watching is great, and the view of the Minneapolis skyline can be breathe taking.
If you need a little tougher workout head over to Harriet… This city does not lack for lakes!

Calhoun is very beautiful! There’s so much to do here. You can jog, walk, barbecue, swim, meet up with people, people watch, pick up trash, sleep, and whatever you want to do here, but the only thing you can’t do is build a treehouse (I have always wanted one :)) This lake is big, it’s 3 miles around, a perfect jog for me:) I noticed that they have sailing lessons here so I am going to check into that this summer. I will definitely come here more often since is it closer to my place.
A great place for everyone to come and enjoy!

You can’t not love Calhoun (as well as Harriet and Lake of the Isles) if you’re from the Twin Cities.
Yeah, the «beaches» (I hate calling this a beach, but what else would you call it?) get very crowded on the weekends. Yeah, parking can suck. Overall though, these cons are widely outscored by the pros…
The people watching is PRIME. Families, Uptown yuppies, hipsters on their way back from Hidden Beach, and lots of cool dogs. There’s even a guy that always runs barefoot that runs the marathon each year, too. Also, THERE’S SO MUCH ROOM FOR ACTIVITIES. Sailing lessons, paddleboats, Tin Fish serves some bomb fish tacos… and my favorite, a nice long run. It’s a really flat path that’s almost exactly a 5K around it for one loop.
So, get outside, get moving, and spend a day exploring and exercising around Lake Calhoun. You won’t regret it.

My wife and I love walking around the Chain of Lakes. Harriet is our usual one, but Calhoun is a nice once a month lake.
They have a great restaurant I hear called Tin Fish, that is always packed during the summer. Plus they have beer.
They have canoe and paddle boat rentals. They have beaches. They have sunbathers.
Volleyball courts. A great view of downtown. It’s all good.
Whole Foods and a bunch of strip mall stuff is right across the street. What more do you want?!
Plus a great 3 mile trail around the lake. A fantastic walking place with someone you love. People watching galore!

The lakes are one thing that make Minneapolis truly unique and a beautiful place to live.
Even when the weather is overcast, I still loved going for a quick jog around Lake of the Isles, and it wasn’t uncommon for me to make my way around Isles, Calhoun and Harriet during the summer. Take your pick: kayak, rollerblades, bike, sneakers. .. I have used them all to circumnavigate the lakes. I’ve also used those lazy summer days to lose myself in a good book on the beach. Truly nothing rivals a Minnesota summer day :)
Paddleboarding, canoes, paddleboats, and kayaks are all available for rent near the Tin Fish. There is also space to put in your own watercraft if you have it. And speaking of the Tin Fish, make sure to grab a fish taco after spending time at the lakes. Soft tortillas, crispy batter coating, and warm, buttery-​soft whitefish with a crunch of slaw makes for one culinary adventure!

I just love this «landmark» city lake smack in the middle of Uptown! A little escape from the city! Calhoun lake is so beautiful and such a perfect place for a walk! It’s 3 miles going around the lake, a perfect walk to fit in on any busy day during the warm months here. Fun atmosphere, fun place to people watch, house watch, or just relax and hang out. I ‘ve practiced yoga here on the beach, and on the grass under the shady trees. A little nature in the city with something for everyone. Great place!