Lake Hiawatha Park

Lake Hiawatha Park
Minneapolis, Hennepin county, MN
mixed use park bordering Lake Hiawatha
associated with Hiawatha Golf Course, Minnehaha Creek (Ericsson Neighborhood)

Park Notes
The park surrounds the 55 acre Lake Hiawatha and Minnehaha Creek flows into and out of the lake at the southern end.

The eastern side is mostly conventionally mowed public park space with a park building, playground, basketball court, swimming beach, wading pool, picnic tables, bike and walking paths, and ball fields (converted to ice rinks in the winter). The western side is (currently) the public Hiawatha Golf Course. Along the southern edge of the lake, there is a very marshy, unmanaged area that abuts a stand of trees. Additionally the shoreline is allowed to grow wild with cattails and various shrubs. The Golf Course is open to the hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing in the winter.

Wildlife Documented in the Park and Adjoining Golf Course
Birds: Migrating waterfowl visit the lake in the spring and the southern marshy end and along the creek outflow from the lake gets a fair number of migrating sparrows and warblers. There are quite a few summer and/or winter resident birds.

Mammals: Coyote, Red Fox, Northern American River Otter, American Beaver, Eastern Gray and American Red Squirrels, Muskrat, Common Raccoon, Eastern Cottontail, American Mik, Meadow Vole, Eastern Chipmunk and North American Deer Mice.

Reptiles, Amphibians, Fish: American Toad, Painted Turtle, Spiny Softshell Turtle, Common Snapping Turtle, European Carp, Bluegill, Northern Pike, Bowfin, Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow

Misc (iNat species counts as of 1-2022):
74 species of insects, 6 species of mollusks, and 10 species of archnids.
98 species of plants and 12 species of fungi.

approximate bounding box for Lake Hiawatha Park and the adjoining Hiawatha Golf Course

Minnehaha Creek; Ericsson Neighborhood, east of 28th Ave
Minnehaha Creek enters and exits Lake Hiawatha at its southern end. As it enters, the Creek marks the border between the park and the golf course. At this point, only a small portion of the Creek is accessible from the Park although, in dry times, one can follow it out to the delta and sandspit opening to the lake.

Soon after exiting Lake Hiawatha, the Creek flows under the 28th Ave S bridge, leaving Lake Hiawatha Park but (re)entering its own Minnehaha Creek Park. Along this 1.4 mile section through the Ericsson Neighborhood, all the land along the Creek is park land. Most of the area is mowed but there are a number of large trees in the park and the banks of the Creek are allowed to grow wild, thus offering habitat for birds, insects, and spiders. Additionally, the Creek itself hosts a variety of wildlife and plants and, at times, it can be shallow and slow enough for easy wading. Many of the mammals found at Lake Hiawatha have also been seen along the Creek.

Many of my visits to Lake Hiawatha Park have been combined with a walk eastward (and back) along the Creek.

As Minnehaha Creek makes its way to the eastern boundary of the Ericsson Neighborhood, it enters the Minnehaha Regional Park, a large 167 acre area with extensive amenities and nature observation. Ultimately the Creek will find its way to the Mississippi River.

useful links/info:
official address: 2701 E 44th St, Minneapolis, MN 55406
Minneapolis Parks & Rec Board webpage
eBird Hotspot reports
MN DNR info on fish in lake
Friends of Lake Hiawatha
Hiawatha Golf Course; Winter Activities Info

feel free to add/correct info in the comment sections below.

Posted on February 24, 2020 05:47 PM by mmmiller