Lake Nokomis

I love Lake Calhoun but Lake Nokomis is just as great. It’s not as busy and much easier to find parking! They have a pay lot that’s only $ 0.75 an hour, otherwise there are plenty of free parking spots along the baseball fields.
Like many lakes in Land of 10,000 Lakes, Lake Nokomis has walking/​running and bike paths. They also offer rentals for canoes, kayaks, pedal boats, paddle boards, bikes, and surreys! Otherwise, if you just want to relax, there’s a beach and plenty of spots to have a picnic :)
It’s a little more peaceful here. You don’t have the hustle and bustle of Uptown Minneapolis around you but you do get to listen to the sounds of airplanes flying overhead every once in awhile — you’ll barely notice it though.
There’s also a concession stand called Sandcastle! I haven’t tried the food here yet but I hear it’s decent. They sell Jonny Pops which are my favorite summertime treat!

Love the lake and swimming but the café food is not good. Waited in line for 30 mins and I should have just gotten the fries at the Grab & Go. I’ll bring my own food next time.

Wait. I’m reviewing a body of water? It’s very wet. Very clean. Less crowded. I board, bike and swim from May till October. It is a big part of what makes me a happy person.

A girlfriend and I used a Groupon to try stand up paddle boarding at Wheel Fun Rentals.
We went to the Lake Nokomis location the afternoon of 8÷12÷15. We were helped by Nick and Brianna who were extremely helpful and encouraging! (We didn’t have much confidence we’d be able to do it!). The rental process was a breeze! They answered all of our questions as well as gave us helpful hints. The paddleboarding was a blast! It was easy because their paddleboards are wide so it makes the balance part much easier. Great for beginners!
Wheel Fun Rentals has other locations but because of the customer service we received at this location we’ll certainly be back!

I’ve lived in and traveled to a great many places in the world. A Minnesota resident now and for the past three years, I am in love with this lake. Unlike Calhoun and Harriet, which remind me of why I moved and am grateful to be away from Orange County, California, Lake Nokomis is like that cool, easy-​going, blue collar, t-​shirts and shorts friend; the nice-​looking, happy, friendly, beer-​in-​hand, easy-​going, great sense of humor buddy. A place where you can come, take it easy, have fun, and just let your hair down. I’m here more nights a week than not, just running, walking, swimming, enjoying.
It is, to start with, just plain beautiful here. Never crazy busy. Whether you just want to kick back on one of the beaches, run or bike the trails around the lake, or rent a bike, kayak, paddle board, canoe, picnic, barbeque or whatever, there’s lots to do here, or nothing at all, depending on what you prefer. The crowd is laid back and easy-​going. Plenty of parking in the paid lot, or free parking streetside, if you don’t mind walking. Full facilities here — a food concession, restrooms, rental operation, boat launching and mooring — whatever you need. LOVE this place.

On weekends this place is packed! Week nights around 6 the trails are heavily used but not to the point of heavy traffic. Softball games, baseball games, soccer matches, tennis games, you name it it’s going on.
There’s a decent amount of parking available that’s free and lots of people with their dogs. The water seems pretty clean and always boats on it.
Now only if I could find where to sign up to play in one of these leagues.

Definitely my favorite of the lakes! You can actually do whatever it is you’re set out to do at Lake Nokomis be it biking, jogging, swimming, walking, bbq’ing or just relaxing because it’s not crowded. And this public beach (there’s two actually) never gets closed for various contaminants like the other lakes. Love having this lake walking distance from my house!
There’s snacks and ice cream at the Sandcastle and canoe rentals at the «big» beach and Nokomis Beach Shops 1 block east of the «little» beach on 50^th Street east & 28^th Ave S.
Love the mix of people as well!

Years ago when I discovered the quiet walking path and beach of Lake Nokomis I felt I found another Twin Cities secret gems. Soon after the location was «discovered» by fund raising groups. During the months of May through October I make regular visits during the weekday as usually every weekend the park is booked with a running event for more charities than you ever heard of. Of course it’s still open for anyone to walk or jog but the roads are closed and there is no parking in the neighborhood for many blocks. It’s crowded with runners and the women wearing bright pink vests tend to give a glare for an «outsider» to be walking while they have their organized activity.
There are separate paths for walkers/​joggers and bicyclists and a beautiful roadway with scattered expanded parking lanes. There is paid parking at the North end. It’s a joy to live in the city with this many lakes and parkways as this is my favorite year round place, (snow is cleared on the path) to view the season changes and see wildlife I wouldn’t expect to see in the metro.

Lake Nokomis is the Jan Brady of the Chain of Lakes; everyone is always like «Calhoun, Calhoun, Calhoun!» But you know what Jan? You’re special too.
Sure we have to contend with the sound of jets flying to and from the airport, and the snack bar ain’t no Tin Fish. But parking is only $ 0.75 per hour and you might even find some free parking along the softball fields.
The swimming is pretty good; little to minimal weeds, clear water, and a sandy bottom. Another great aspect is that it is always less crowded than the other lakes. If you’re a sometimes-​misanthrope like me, this is a huge plus.
Don’t forget Grand Olé Creamery is nearby too, if you’re looking for a sweet treat.
If you find Cedar or Calhoun too crowded, consider Lake Nokomis. She may be the middle child, but she’s still special in her own way.

This is a great place to jog early mornings, walk and family fun. Took a much needed walk and it was very healing the scene is beautiful

OK, it’s March and I’m really anxious for some weather to enjoy the lake. Nokomis is Southeast Minneapolis at its finest and it’s my favorite lake on the Three Rivers Park system. It’s the biggest, cleanest and deepest with the best fishing out of all the other city lakes. With multiple beaches to choose from, a bike path, (Where you can go both directions) and the new Sand Castle restaurant, what isn’t there to like? So one might complain about the planes but that’s one of the things I actually like. It’s awesome to get paddle boards go to the middle of the lake and lay down on the board and watch the planes, kind of a rush. Nokomis has Wheel Fun rentals, softball fields, open space, grills and more! Parking can be a little tricky, there is street parking and a large pay lot by the club house, if you don’t pay they ticket regularly. Altogether, another fantastic park in the Minneapolis city limits!

Lake Nokomis is worth the drive — family friendly, and a great swimming beach! On Tuesday nights in the summer from 5:30 — 7:30pm, lifeguards are stationed in kayaks across the lake to allow athletes to swim from shore to shore.
There is lots of space both on the beach and in the grass to eat, relax, swim, and repeat. Lake Nokomis is a great spot for running or biking as the path winds all away around the perimeter of the lake. There is a large parking lot on the west side of the lake that is $ 0.75/hour (don’t quote me on that). I’ve found luck parking on the nearby streets — or near the baseball diamond — without having to pay.
Try renting bikes, paddle boards, kayaks, or canoes through Wheel Fun Rentals located at the lake. As I’m writing this I’m already getting sad about the fact that summer is coming to an end. Can’t wait to see you again next summer, Nokomis.

Free swimming/​skating in the middle of a city is simply amazing! This is a beautiful lake, and a great place for anyone to occupy a few hours of their time. It’s also a nice scenic drive around the lake.
There are 2 swimming areas. The bathrooms at the largest swimming area are old, but they aren’t dirty. For the summer, they bring in sand to make a nice beach and there are lifeguards on duty during the busier times. There is a playground on the beach so kids can play in the water and on the slide or monkey bars. Seems like heaven for a kid… or a mom with an energetic kid. Pets are allowed, and pretty much everyone has their dog with them. There is also a rental stand near the restrooms where you can rent kayaks and canoes (and maybe I even saw bikes). The second smaller swimming area had the added benefit of having a floating dock for people to swim out to and dive off of. Tons of fun to be had.
You Minnesotans are an active bunch, and I’m totally jealous of all your parks and recreation.

If you want a quality park/​lake to take a bike ride around, a place to run or a place to hang out with some family and/​or friends without the «Calhoun» or even «Harriet» experience this is your lake. It’s fairly clean, not over-​crowded, small and wind blocked enough that you could troll around it in your kayak or canoe with ease. In the mid-​summer months the beach and adjacent park on the West side of the lake can get a bit crowded so try the northeast side beach and park for a quieter experience. Just heard that they are updating their food concessions in the next year.

Great big-​brother lake to Hiawatha. Although I guess Nokomis is the grandmother of Hiawatha.
Awesome for canoeing, swimming or just hanging out. Lots of space for BBQs, throwing a ball around or organized sports. You may see a dead fish here and there, but that’s really not shocking. The planes are a constant, taking off and landing at the airport nearby. Nokomis Beach Coffee, Fat Lorenzo’s and the 5 – 8 Club are within walking distance of the lake.
Great trails surround the lake for biking, blading or walking, running. Some fish here. I’ve seen sailboats and other kinds of boats as well as canoes and kayaks. Sometimes there are lifeguards on duty. They will regulate the masses of kids that congregate on the main beach on hot summer days. Recently they had a new diving pier out in deeper water.
I remember late-​night swims on Nokomis long ago. This lake is a superb spot to spend a day.
From Wikipedia:
Nokomis is the name of Nanabozho’s grandmother in the Ojibwe traditional stories and was the name of Hiawatha’s grandmother in Longfellow’s poem, The Song of Hiawatha, which is a retelling of the Nanabozho stories. Nokomis is an important character in the poem, mentioned in the familiar lines
By the shores of Gitche Gumee,
By the shining Big-​Sea-​Water,
Stood the wigwam of Nokomis,
Daughter of the Moon, Nokomis.
Dark behind it rose the forest.
According to the poem, From the full moon fell Nokomis/​Fell the beautiful Nokomis. She bears a daughter, Wenonah. Despite Nokomis’ warnings, Wenonah allows herself to be seduced by the West-​Wind, Mudjekeewis, Till she bore a son in sorrow/​Bore a son of love and sorrow/​Thus was born my Hiawatha.
Abandoned by the heartless Mudjekeewis, Wenonah dies in childbirth, leaving Hiawatha to be raised by Nokomis. The wrinkled old Nokomis/​Nursed the little Hiawatha and educates him.
In the Ojibwe language, nookomis means «my grandmother,» thus portraying Nokomis of the poem and the aadizookaan (Ojibwe traditional stories) from a more personal point of view, akin to the traditional Ojibwa narrative styles.

I’ve been to Lake Nokomis more this summer than any other, and I have become a huge fan. Lake Calhoun is overrated. Nokomis is smaller, yes, but it’s also not as crowded, has great walking/​running and bike paths, and is overall a more peaceful and relaxing place to hang out. Granted, it doesn’t have the yupster vibe of Calhoun or maybe Harriet, but I like it that way. I think that Lake Nokomis likes it that way too.
Lake Nokomis is not far from Minnehaha Falls, and is also part of the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway, so it’s a great place to bike to. And, if you’re so inclined, you can rent a canoe, or even «park» your sailboat there for the summer. Some other amenities include an amazing skyline view of Downtown Minneapolis, a playground, softball fields, two beaches, and Fat Lorenzo’s within walking distance.
Oh, and I agree with Angela L. — if you could do me a favor, and you’re thinking of checking out one of the lakes in Minneapolis, please choose any of them besides Nokomis. Unless you’re going there in the winter to watch or play in the Pond Hockey Championships. But after that, forget you’ve ever been there.

Being an urban child in my youth, I spent my toddler days and early school years along the shores of Lake Nokomis in the Wenonah neighborhood… so, I have one thing to say about Lake Nokomis: please don’t go here.
It is far less busy than Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet, and with much better biking and walking trails, in my opinion. It’s quieter and more peaceful, and I’d like it to stay that way.
Lake Nokomis is one of the most under-​rated of the area lakes… people think Calhoun and Harriet are where it’s at, and yes, they may have a more metropolitan flair, with their band shells, their Sven-​Sundgaard-​sightings and their free-​yoga-​in-​the-​parks, but Nokomis is where you go if you truly want to relax.
They recently put in some community art installations around the walking trail, and it is of course home to the pond hockey championships in the winter time.

My sibling and I were all hanging out for the 4^th of July. My sisters recommended that we head to the beach. Since it was so hot this seemed like a great idea. Unfortunately we went to the beach on the West-​side of Lake Nokomis. It was by far the most disgusting beach I have ever been to.
When I first got there I sat down and I immediately noticed the strong smell of dog crap. I tried moving to the other side of the our blanket but no matter where I went I could smell dog crap. I even walked around thinking I could see a big pile laying out in the open but I could not offend the offending pile. Then when we got into the lake itself there were two decent sized dead fish floating right in the swimming area. Between that dog crap I decided it was time to go.
I think the Minneapolis Park Board needs to invest a little money in keeping the beaches a little bit cleaner.

All of our lakes in Minneapolis are great in thier own way. What I like the most about Lake Nokomis is the sand on the beach is much softer than the others, not as good as ocean sand but the closest thing we have to it, and accessing the beach, as well as parking is alot easier.
As with all Minneapolis lakes, Nokomis is surrounded by alot of beautiful parkland and has many excellent biking and jogging trails along with many great pickniking spots. There are also benches along the lake shore in lots of different places (see my photo of the Downtown Minneapolis Skyline from one of them). I highly recommend coming to this lake.

Living in the cities now for over 10 years, I have just been under the idea that the lakes to go to were around Uptown. I graduated from Calhoun to Harriet after my partying days became less. Now, I am faithful to Nokomis!
A recent discovery for me, Lake Nokomis is right off of Minehaha Parkway. On a bike ride to Minnehaha Falls and back, we decided to stop for a quick dip. Have you ever seen a blue lake? No, not the bluish side of brown. Actually blue! They have two beaches (we generally go to the north beach). You can see the bottom of the lake it is so clean! The beach is busy, but great for swimming. It stays shallow pretty far out, making it good for kids and non-​swimmers. If you are a water junkie, there is a raft for diving and hanging out, but it is a good swim away.
As with the other lakes, you can rent canoes, bikes, etc. They have a snack stand set up for a mid-​day break. The trails total about 3 miles around the lake, but there is an art walk on the southern part of the trail.
It is not rocky like Calhoun, but very smooth sand. It is not weedy like Harriet, but crystal blue water. I am not sure why anyone would want to go to a different city lake!

I love this lake its my favorite one in the area because Calhoun is always too crowded for my taste. Soak up the sun and catch a tan while relaxing with a good book is my favorite past time for the summers
. While your at Nokomis they have plenty of bbq’s and room for group gatherings and have a place that sells snacks and ice cream to cool you down while your out.
One last thing check out fat lorenzo’s a block or two away they have awesome food ;)

Lake Nokomis is a nice lake with beaches on both sides. There is a 2.4217mile jogging /​bike path that goes around most of the lake (a part of it cuts through over a bridge).
Earlier this month, I ran the annual FANS 24 Hour Race there (in its 22^nd year) for 24 hours, so I know the path very well. I ran 40+ laps in that 24 hour span, so you can say that I became too familiar with it.

Great lake to check out. Lots of activities going on. Good bike/​walking trails. The traffic on the main road going towards the lake is kind of a bitch sometimes… and sometimes gets pretty busy around there, so if you bring your little ones, keep an eye out for them as cars come and go. Plenty of spots to cop a squat with a good book… or with your loved one (s). It’s nice to skip out on the more popular lakes sometimes and enjoy different scenery!