Cedar Lake (Minnesota)
Encyclopedia
Cedar Lake is a lake
on the west side of Minneapolis
, north of Lake Calhoun
and west of Lake of the Isles
. The lake is surrounded by parkland on the west side, while the east side borders the Kenwood residential area. The north side is bordered by the Cedar Lake Trail
and the BNSF Railway
. The lake has an area of 169 acres (0.26 sq mi) and a maximum depth of 51 feet (16 m).
Cedar Lake is part of the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway
, connecting with Theodore Wirth Park
on the north end and Lake Calhoun
and Lake of the Isles
on the south end via the parkway system. The Cedar Lake Trail
, on the north shore of the lake, serves as both a recreational trail and a link for non-motorized commuters to reach downtown Minneapolis. It has three separate paths: one for pedestrians, one for westbound bicyclists and skaters, and another for eastbound bicyclists and skaters. Other trails around the lake include separate bicycle and pedestrian trails on the west side of the lake, and the Kenilworth Trail
a short distance off the east side of the lake. Cedar Lake is also popular for canoeing and swimming, with three official swimming beaches. Notable is "Hidden Beach", officially named East Cedar Beach, located on the northeast side of the lake.
, black crappie, bluegill
, bowfin
, green sunfish
, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass
, northern pike
, pumpkinseed
, tiger muskellunge
, walleye
, white sucker
, and yellow perch
. Some fish consumption guideline restrictions have been placed on the lake's bluegill, carp, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike, and walleye due to mercury and/or PFOS contamination.
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
on the west side of Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
, north of Lake Calhoun
Lake Calhoun
Lake Calhoun is the biggest lake in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and part of the city's Chain of Lakes. Surrounded by city park land and circled by bike and walking trails, it is popular for many outdoor activities...
and west of Lake of the Isles
Lake of the Isles
Lake of the Isles is a lake in Minneapolis, Minnesota connected to Cedar Lake and Lake Calhoun. It is home to winter ice skating and hockey, as well as a New Year's Eve celebration featuring roasted marshmallows and hot chocolate...
. The lake is surrounded by parkland on the west side, while the east side borders the Kenwood residential area. The north side is bordered by the Cedar Lake Trail
Cedar Lake Trail
The Cedar Lake Regional Trail is America's first bicycle freeway. It is a rail trail that runs about from downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota west to Minnesota State Highway 100 in the neighboring suburb of St. Louis Park. The trail was inaugurated on February 17, 1995. At the trail's west end,...
and the BNSF Railway
BNSF Railway
The BNSF Railway is a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and is headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas. It is one of seven North American Class I railroads and the second largest freight railroad network in North America, second only to the Union Pacific Railroad, its primary...
. The lake has an area of 169 acres (0.26 sq mi) and a maximum depth of 51 feet (16 m).
Cedar Lake is part of the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway
Grand Rounds Scenic Byway
The Grand Rounds Scenic Byway is a linked series of park areas in Minneapolis, Minnesota that takes a roughly circular path through the city. The corridors include roads for automobile traffic plus paths for pedestrians and bicycles, and extend slightly into neighboring cities...
, connecting with Theodore Wirth Park
Theodore Wirth Park
Theodore Wirth Park is the largest park managed by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. The park land is shared by Minneapolis and the neighboring suburb of Golden Valley. The park includes two golf courses , Wirth Lake, Birch Pond, and other amenities...
on the north end and Lake Calhoun
Lake Calhoun
Lake Calhoun is the biggest lake in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and part of the city's Chain of Lakes. Surrounded by city park land and circled by bike and walking trails, it is popular for many outdoor activities...
and Lake of the Isles
Lake of the Isles
Lake of the Isles is a lake in Minneapolis, Minnesota connected to Cedar Lake and Lake Calhoun. It is home to winter ice skating and hockey, as well as a New Year's Eve celebration featuring roasted marshmallows and hot chocolate...
on the south end via the parkway system. The Cedar Lake Trail
Cedar Lake Trail
The Cedar Lake Regional Trail is America's first bicycle freeway. It is a rail trail that runs about from downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota west to Minnesota State Highway 100 in the neighboring suburb of St. Louis Park. The trail was inaugurated on February 17, 1995. At the trail's west end,...
, on the north shore of the lake, serves as both a recreational trail and a link for non-motorized commuters to reach downtown Minneapolis. It has three separate paths: one for pedestrians, one for westbound bicyclists and skaters, and another for eastbound bicyclists and skaters. Other trails around the lake include separate bicycle and pedestrian trails on the west side of the lake, and the Kenilworth Trail
Kenilworth Trail
The Kenilworth Trail is a paved bicycle trail in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It runs nearly and acts as a connector between the Cedar Lake Trail in the north and the Midtown Greenway in the south. Like the Cedar Lake Trail, most of the route is composed of a triple-divided cycleway/pedway with a...
a short distance off the east side of the lake. Cedar Lake is also popular for canoeing and swimming, with three official swimming beaches. Notable is "Hidden Beach", officially named East Cedar Beach, located on the northeast side of the lake.
Fish
The lake contains black bullheadBlack bullhead
The black bullhead, Ameiurus melas, is a species of bullhead catfish. Like other bullhead catfish, it has the ability to thrive in waters that are low in oxygen, brackish, turbid and/or very warm. It also has barbels located near its mouth, a broad head, spiny fins and no scales...
, black crappie, bluegill
Bluegill
The Bluegill is a species of freshwater fish sometimes referred to as bream, brim, or copper nose. It is a member of the sunfish family Centrarchidae of the order Perciformes.-Range and distribution:...
, bowfin
Bowfin
The Bowfin, Amia calva, is the last surviving member of the order Amiiformes , and of the family Amiidae...
, green sunfish
Green sunfish
The green sunfish is a species of freshwater fish in the sunfish family of order Perciformes. A panfish popular with anglers, the green sunfish is also kept as an aquarium fish by hobbyists. They are usually caught by accident, while fishing for other game fish...
, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass
Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass is a species of black bass in the sunfish family native to North America . It is also known as widemouth bass, bigmouth, black bass, bucketmouth, Potter's fish, Florida bass, Florida largemouth, green bass, green trout, linesides, Oswego bass, southern largemouth...
, northern pike
Northern Pike
The northern pike , is a species of carnivorous fish of the genus Esox...
, pumpkinseed
Pumpkinseed
The pumpkinseed sunfish is a freshwater fish of the sunfish family of order Perciformes. It is also referred to as "pond perch", "common sunfish", "punkys", and "sunny".-Range and distribution:...
, tiger muskellunge
Tiger muskellunge
The tiger muskellunge is a carnivorous fish and is the usually sterile, hybrid offspring of the true muskellunge and the northern pike . It lives in freshwater and its range extends to Canada, the Northeast and the Midwest parts of the United States. It grows quickly; in one study tiger muskie...
, walleye
Walleye
Walleye is a freshwater perciform fish native to most of Canada and to the northern United States. It is a North American close relative of the European pikeperch...
, white sucker
White Sucker
The White Sucker is a bottom-feeding freshwater fish inhabiting North America from Labrador in the north to Georgia and New Mexico in the south. It is a long, round-bodied fish with a dark green, grey, copper, brown, or black back and sides and a light underbelly. When fullgrown, it is between 12...
, and yellow perch
Yellow perch
The yellow perch is a species of perch found in the United States and Canada, where it is often referred to by the shortform perch. Yellow perch look similar to the European perch, but are paler and more yellowish, with less red in the fins. They have six to eight dark, vertical bars on their sides...
. Some fish consumption guideline restrictions have been placed on the lake's bluegill, carp, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike, and walleye due to mercury and/or PFOS contamination.