Round Lake

Round Lake is located right next to the north and west corner of Lake Phalen, probably at least part of the city of Maplewood. It is the last of a chain of other lakes (Keller and Gervais) which flow into Phalen.

This lake seems to be a complete misnomer. On one hand, it's not round. On the other, it's not much of a lake. At thirty acres in area and only eight feet deep, it's more like a pond. I expected this to be a fifteen minute adventure and nothing more.

My hope was to put in at the boat landing found on the north side of lake Phalen, then cross through a culvert/bridge into Round Lake, then take the narrow channel upstream to Keller Lake. As it turned out, this was more than I bargained for. There was a swift current as well as a good northerly wind which forced me to change my plans.

 The culvert/bridge to Round Lake: I "walked" the boat hand-over-hand on the ceiling to get through

The launch went alright, but immediately after that the culvert/bridge proved to more of an obstacle than a passageway. It is just barely wide enough to row through, especially in a straight line and especially against the current. The headwind also proved formidable as it funneled through. I got about half way and gave up on the oars. I reached up and planted my hands on the ceiling and propelled the Prodigal forward by walking it hand over hand. Whatever works, I guess!

Hindsight being what it is, it would have been easier to park in the same location, ignore the loading ramp on Phalen, and launch directly into Round Lake. There is no ramp there but the grass leads right down to the shore. At any rate, the hand-over-hand trick was kind of fun. I will probably do it again next time!

 The first footbridge in the channel

Next I did a quick spin around Round Lake and then headed north into the channel leading to Keller Lake. A few trees have fallen into the channel, but they were no problem, just a good place for turtles to sun themselves.

Three turtles sun themselves on a log in the channel

I passed first under a foot bridge, then a pair of beautifully arched limestone bridges supporting Frost Street in Maplewood. No problem! If anything the towering architecture, grand but forgotten, felt a little like a scene from Lord of the Rings. Maybe that's going a bit too far, but after all, it's my adventure!

 The stone bridges that support Frost Street

Next was another footbridge supported with two concrete slabs spaced about ten feet apart. This created a pinch point and the current was pretty swift. A little footnote here: the Prodigal is a little less than four feet wide. The oars are each six feet long, creating width greater than the opening. It was just not possible pass through using a conventional oar stroke. I tried shortening my "wing span" by sliding the oars inboard as far as possible in the oarlocks and then pulling hard short strokes.  The trouble was that the inside of my little boat was all elbows, knees, and oars. I tried 3 times, each with precisely the same results. I would get about half way, then the wind and the current would propel me backwards. That was it.I had to give up. End of trip!

 The boat just could not row through this passage. How frustrating!

I had to head for home with my tail between my legs, totally beaten. I suppose I could try this again, perhaps a little later in the season when the current might be a little more gentle. Better yet, I could bring a friend and a couple of canoe paddles. One thing for sure: I am glad that I chose to travel against the current first. Otherwise, I could have passed through the channel without being able to return. So little Round Lake may have been a misnomer but it turned out to be an adventure after all. It was a challenge I won't forget for a long time!

The Launch point for Round Lake can be found on the northern end of Lake Phalen where East Shore Drive comes to a dead end.

Fishing is good here. Expect the usual bluegill, crappie, and smaller pan fish. Round Lake is also contaminated with Eurasian milfoil. Wash off your boat, oars, paddles, and trailer before leaving the launch area. This may sound a little odd, especially if you are new to boating, but  it is important. DNR officials issue fines to those who don't. I carry along a sponge and a spray bottle mixed with water and vinegar.