Cedar Lake Ice Hole

Minneapolis, Minnesota · on Cedar Lake

Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified

WATER: lake
ACCESS: Local spot, unofficial
FEE: Free
SEASON: Best in summer

About Cedar Lake Ice Hole

Cedar Lake Ice Hole is a volunteer-maintained winter cold-water immersion site, a swimming hole in the most literal sense, cut into the ice of Cedar Lake, a natural lake in the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes managed by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board (MPRB). It is one of only two well-known community 'ice holes' in the Minneapolis park system (the other on Lake Harriet), used by local 'polar dippers' for regular short cold-water dips through the winter.

Cedar Lake lies within Cedar Lake Park in southwest Minneapolis, ringed by walking and biking trails and served in summer by three MPRB beaches, including Cedar Lake Point Beach (2101 Cedar Lake Parkway), which has a sandy shoreline, drinking fountains, and a pay parking lot. In winter the lake freezes over and is shared by skaters, cross-country skiers, and dog walkers; a small, separately maintained opening is kept in the ice elsewhere on the lake specifically for cold-water dipping.

Swimming at Cedar Lake Ice Hole

This is not a summer swimming spot but a winter ice-dipping ('polar plunge') site: a hole roughly at or near the 10-inch diameter allowed under park rules is cut and kept open in the lake ice by a volunteer community coordinated through the nonprofit Endurance United. Participants submerge briefly, from about 10 seconds up to a few minutes depending on tolerance, typically wearing neoprene booties or wool socks and warm layers for before and after, and are advised never to dip alone.

How to get to this swimming hole

Sources place the ice hole on Cedar Lake near Cedar Lake Parkway (Endurance United lists a general reference point of 2630 Cedar Lake Parkway, Minneapolis); the lake's developed access point, Cedar Lake Point Beach, is at 2101 Cedar Lake Parkway with on-site parking. No turn-by-turn directions to the ice hole itself were found.

Parking: Cedar Lake Point Beach, the lake's main developed access point, has an on-site pay parking lot; specific parking for the winter ice-hole location itself is not documented in the sources found.

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. No hike is required. Cedar Lake Park has paved walking/biking trails (Cedar Lake Parkway, the 3.5-mile Cedar Lake Regional Trail, and the Kenilworth Trail) circling the lake, and the ice hole is reached by a short walk from parkway/park parking rather than a dedicated trailhead hike. The exact walk distance from parking to the ice hole itself was not documented in any source found.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

Not ideal for young kids

The ice hole itself is a winter cold-water immersion site with hypothermia and breath-control risk, no lifeguards, and unmarked ice hazards for other lake users, so it is not a kid activity. Note this is distinct from Cedar Lake Point Beach, the lake's official summer swim beach nearby, which is lifeguarded (mid-June to late August) and family-oriented.

Parking

Paid

Cedar Lake Park / Cedar Lake Point Beach on Cedar Lake Parkway has an on-site pay parking lot (per MPRB). No parking is specifically documented for the ice hole location itself (near 2630 Cedar Lake Parkway per Endurance United); visitors likely use the nearest park lot and walk along the parkway/shore.

Water clarity

Varies with season and flow

MPRB monitors Cedar Lake weekly for E. coli and blue-green algae (cyanobacteria); advisories are posted when MPCA thresholds are exceeded or blooms drift into swim areas, and the water can turn murky (blue-green, reddish-purple, or brown) during a bloom. Bacteria spikes typically occur right after rain and clear within about 48 hours. No visitor commentary specific to the ice hole's water clarity was found.

Hours

Cedar Lake Park is open 6am-midnight in developed areas and 6am-10pm in undeveloped areas (MPRB). Cedar Lake Point Beach (the separate summer swim beach) is open 6am-10pm daily, with lifeguards on duty 1-7pm daily June 13-Aug 23 and reduced post-season hours through Sept 7. No specific hours were found posted for the ice hole itself, which is a winter-only, community-run feature (per prior dossier).

Swim smart

Ice conditions can be unsafe or thin; cold-water immersion carries hypothermia and breath-control risks, and participants are advised to check DNR ice-safety guidance and never dip alone. MPRB has separately noted that unmarked or unsecured ice holes/openings pose a hazard to other lake users such as skaters, skiers, children, and pets.

Rules: MPRB ordinance PB2-25 prohibits cutting ice holes larger than 10 inches in park lakes without a permit, and MPRB's own 2021 public statement says it does not generally issue such permits except for the Special Olympics Minnesota Polar Plunge held on Bde Maka Ska. Despite this, the community-run ice holes at Cedar Lake and Lake Harriet have continued for years under a seasonal waiver system organized by Endurance United, with proof of the waiver required if checked by Minneapolis Park Police. Separately, the lake's official summer swim beaches restrict swimming to marked areas, require adult supervision for children under 8, and close water entry once air temperature drops to 65°F or below.

This is an informational listing, not an invitation. Conditions and access change; verify locally before you go. Visiting any swimming hole is at your own risk. See our Terms of Use.

On the water

KayaksCanoesPaddleboards

Restrictions: Inflatable air mattresses, inner tubes, and other inflatable flotation devices are prohibited without a permit; swimmers may not cross the lake unaccompanied by a boat. A canoe/kayak launch and storage rack (annual storage permits available) sits at the lake's northwest corner.

These rules govern the ice-free/open-water season on Cedar Lake generally (per MPRB), not the winter ice hole, which has no boating. Cedar Lake connects via channels to the rest of the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes (Lake of the Isles, then Bde Maka Ska), extending paddling range. No motorized watercraft use on Cedar Lake was confirmed in any source found.

Backstory

The Cedar Lake and Lake Harriet ice holes grew out of informal local cold-plunge practice into a community effort coordinated by the St. Paul nonprofit Endurance United, which manages a seasonal waiver system communicated to Minneapolis Park Police. MPRB's 2021 public statement on the practice highlights an ongoing gray area between community tolerance and the Park Board's formal permitting rules, which otherwise restrict cut ice holes larger than 10 inches to a single annual exception (the Special Olympics Polar Plunge).

Cedar Lake Ice Hole: FAQ

Does Cedar Lake Ice Hole charge a fee?

No fee is charged to use the ice hole, but participants must complete a seasonal waiver form through Endurance United and be able to produce it if asked by Minneapolis Park Police. (Cedar Lake Point Beach, the separate summer swim beach, has pay parking.)

Is Cedar Lake Ice Hole kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Cedar Lake Ice Hole?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Where do I park for Cedar Lake Ice Hole?

Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Cedar Lake Ice Hole?

When is the best time to visit Cedar Lake Ice Hole?

Winter only (roughly December/January through early March) for the ice hole; the lake's official swim beaches operate in a separate summer season (mid-June through early September).

What are the rules at Cedar Lake Ice Hole?

MPRB ordinance PB2-25 prohibits cutting ice holes larger than 10 inches in park lakes without a permit, and MPRB's own 2021 public statement says it does not generally issue such permits except for the Special Olympics Minnesota Polar Plunge held on Bde Maka Ska. Despite this, the community-run ice holes at Cedar Lake and Lake Harriet have continued for years under a seasonal waiver system organized by Endurance United, with proof of the waiver required if checked by Minneapolis Park Police. Separately, the lake's official summer swim beaches restrict swimming to marked areas, require adult supervision for children under 8, and close water entry once air temperature drops to 65°F or below.

What water body is Cedar Lake Ice Hole on?

Cedar Lake Ice Hole is on Cedar Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.

Conditions right now

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Live data from the National Weather Service and USGS. Conditions at the water can differ, use your judgment.

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At a glance

Land access: Unknown, verify locally
Highlights: Community-maintained winter ice-dipping hole ('polar plunge') cut into natural lake ice, rather than a conventional summer swimming hole; One of only two known organized 'ice holes' in Minneapolis park lakes (the other is Lake Harriet's 'Harriet Magic Hole'); Access governed by a seasonal waiver system run by a nonprofit (Endurance United) rather than a standard park permit
Nearby towns: Calhoun Beach (0.5mi); Saint Louis Park (1.8mi); Kenwood Gables (2.7mi); Glenwood Junction (3.0mi)
Coordinates: 44.9563, -93.3251