Lake Calhoun, Lake of the Isles, Cedar Lake, Brownie Lake

The Chain of Lakes is probably one of the most popular little adventures in the Twin Cities. It is well worth it too. If you like boating, then this is a must. These are the only lakes where there are always dozens of light craft on the water: just about every kind, too: sailboats, canoes, peddle boats, kayaks, and even paddle boards. Expect to spend at least two hours on the water if you choose this path.

A typical launch: lots of ducks!

Parking near Calhoun is always a problem, especially on weekends. So I launched on a Thursday morning. The parking lot on North Beach was fairly empty so that determined my choice. I chose a little sandy space just east of the beach where the sailboats are moored. As usual there were quite a few ducks there, too. Ducks like launches. It is a great way for them to get up on the beach and sun themselves or whatever.

sailboats moored off the north beach of Lake Calhoun

crossing under the first bridge toward Lake of the Isles

I love the old world craftsmanship of these bridges!

I rowed east and under the bridges leading to Lake of the Isles. Then I headed west to the next bridge, which is the channel to Cedar Lake. After that, it was just a matter of following everyone else doing the same. This leg of the trip is my favorite. The channel is small and creates a wonderful feeling of seclusion, odd, perhaps, for one of the most densely populated areas of the city.

another bridge

You may note that most of the channel bridges are made from limestone and reflect a real old world craftsmanship. One exception is a rustic railroad bridge made with timbers. The passage is very narrow, tricky for a row boat, but lots of fun!

The channel leading to Cedar Lake

The channels create a real sense of seclusion

Shortly after I made my way to Cedar Lake and headed north to Hidden Beach. This is one of the only beaches in the area which provides a good deal of shade and tree cover. But this is not why it's called Hidden Beach. It celebrates a special culture and mentality reminiscent of the sixties. You can read more about it if you check it out on Wikipedia. It's got its own entry!

Hidden Beach on Cedar Lake

The timber bridge: a tight squeeze for a row boat

A nut shell pram near Lake Calhoun

Finally, I must say that the way home offered offered a pleasant little surprise all of it's own. Somewhere between Hennepin Avenue and Lake Calhoun, I stumbled upon an apartment building. with a bike rack outside. Chained up to it was a cute little plywood nut shell pram all ready to go. O day of days! There is at least one other soul who understands the whole idea of urban boating!

The Chain of Lakes