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Lake Calhoun

Great Spaces: Innovative Park System

Lakes Mississippi River Recreation Parks Green

Often referred to as an urban forest, the city of Minneapolis is brimming with parks, lakes and nature. Because parks consume 15 percent of land in Minneapolis, no resident lives more than six blocks away from one.

Seeing Green
There are 170 parks in Minneapolis. Many contain playgrounds and picnic areas, are attached to lakes or have special activities for visitors. Loring Park, for example, offers Summer Music and Movies with bands, deejays and movies at dusk.

The Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway contains more than 50 miles of hiking, biking, skiing and driving paths. The route leads travelers past gardens, golf courses and waterfalls as it meanders around the Chain of Lakes.

Located on the byway, a geographic marker on the grounds of Theodore Wirth Park marks the spot halfway between the equator and the North Pole. An area nearly as large as New York City’s Central Park, the Wirth Park houses the country’s oldest wildflower garden and a mossy "quaking bog."

On the Water
The Chain of Lakes provides shorelines for relaxation and recreation. Guests can canoe on Lake Calhoun, visit gardens and sanctuaries near Lake Harriet or take a glimpse into the past on a streetcar ride.

East River Flats Park, named after the area’s flat land, lies near a bend in the Mississippi River. Limestone bluffs overlook the 26-acre park, providing a geological history of the area. The University of Minnesota’s rowing team is often spotted practicing on this length of the river.

Inspiration Everywhere
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow inspired the name of Minnehaha Park through his poem ‘Song of Hiawatha.’ Architect Thomas Oslund found inspiration for Gold Medal Park through the area’s strong Native American history.

Take time to relax and let the ideas flow in Lake Harriet’s Lyndale Park, dubbed one of "10 Great Places to Inhale the Scents of Spring" by USA Today. Get inspired in Minneapolis parks.