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| Como Lake Walking Path |
St. Paul is a magical city too often overshadowed by it's "twin city" of Minneapolis. Don't get me wrong, I love both cities. But St. Paul has charm without the pretentiousness of Minneapolis's trendy neighborhoods. St. Paul is also a paradise for walkers and runners. The city is teaming with trails and sidewalks along the Mississippi River, around lakes,and through tree lined neighborhoods.
My favorite walk is around Lake Como in Northeast St. Paul. A walk around Lake Como is great in all of Minnesota's varied seasons, and can easily be paired with all that the Como Park has to offer.
What to expect
There are two sets of paved paths around Como Lake; the inner loop is for walkers and runners while the outside loop is for bikes. The flat trail hugs closely to the shore of the lake and about half of the walk will be under shade of trees.
A full loop around the lake is 1.67 miles and will take you about 20-30 minutes to walk.
I would recommend parking at the Como Lakeside Pavilion. The Pavilion also houses
Black Bear Crossing cafe, which is a great place to snag a coffee or pastry after a walk. In the summer, you may also rent a canoe or paddle boat from the pavilion.
It is easy to make the walk part of a full day in the area around Lake Como. From Lake Como, you can take a five minute walk to the
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory.
Just the Basics
- Trail Distance: 1.67 miles around Lake Como
- Time: 20-30 minutes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Location: 1360 Lexington Parkway North, Saint Paul, MN
- Parking: free parking is available at the Como Lakeside Pavillion
