Lake of the Isles

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A view of Lake of the Isles, taken in spring 2006. One of the islands is in the center, while the other island is just visible on the right side of the picture.

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.

Some of the stately homes around Lake of the Isles.

Lake of the Isles is known for its two wooded islands, its long north arm, and the stately houses of the Kenwood neighborhood surrounding it. The two wooded islands are protected wildlife refuges which contain virgin woods. Exploring or landing on either Mike's Island (to the north) or Raspberry Island (to the south) is prohibited, as marked by signs.

The lake was created in its current form in the early 20th century by dredging a small lake and marsh complex. The dredged materials -- mostly peat and silt -- were used to build parkland around the lake. Unfortunately, the settling of these materials and the pressure of urban development has led to an unstable shoreline and reduced water quality. The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is in the middle of a multi-year project to stabilize the shoreline, renovate the parkland, and rebuild the parkway and bike/pedestrian paths.