Normandale Lake Park — Attraction in Bloomington

Beautiful paved walking/running trails surround this lake with both open areas and secluded paths through the trees. We’ve seen a bald eagle, many different types of ducks, swans, pelicans, herons, cranes and hawks at the lake as well as turtles, fish and frogs. Our favorite are the beavers and muskrats that perimeter the lake and play in the water near the waterfall. It’s usually not super busy, which is nice, but during warmer months, families can enjoy movies at the bandshell and live entertainment during summer events. We also enjoy the firework display during the 4th if July. We appreciate MN taking such good care of the wildlife and natural habitats. Lake Normandale has issues with smelly, stagnant water, invasive plant species and algae, but they have planned out and implemented a few strategies to combat these issues. I’m very much looking forward to the summer of 2019 when we will see the results of the...

I flew to Minnesota to photograph wildlife without the hot temperatures we have in Phoenix. I chose a random hotel close to the airport not knowing this park was two blocks away. It was simply perfect. Turtles laying eggs, Canadian geese, mom Mallard with chicks, Great Blue Heron, redwing blackbird male keeping a sharp eye one me when I walked by his nest, Robins, what I thought was a Muskrat but may have been a young beaver. Loads of beautiful flowers, trees, insects (only one mosquito bite), and real prairie grass. With only a half day and one full day, this more than filled my camera with wonderful subjects. Beautiful place. Clean. Loved the benches to rest a bit. I am sure it takes a lot of planning to manage a lake this size and you do...

Beautiful, paved trails here - and there are even separate trails for biking (outer trail) and for walking/jogging (inner/close to water), which is really nice. A few bridges, a waterfall, and plenty of breaks in the trees allow for really nice views while circling the lake. The walking trail is approx. 2.2 miles around. Two large parking lots on the west and north sides of the lake let you choose where to start your trek. Plenty of garbage cans, benches, and even a boat launch (though there are specific restrictions, so check those with the city first!) along...