March 31, 2011: Lake Phalen Park Hike (St. Paul)

Join the group for a hike around charming Lake Phalen on the Northeast side of St. Paul. Arlington Hills and Phalen Park are the northeastern districts of the City of St. Paul, the second being named from Phalen Lake and Creek, for Edward Phelan (whose name was variously spelled), one of his successive land claims, in the earliest years of St. Paul, having been on the creek flowing from this lake. Edward Phelan was born in Londonderry, Ireland, in 1811, worked as a laborer until he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1835, was discharged from Fort Snelling in 1838, was arrested for the murder of his partner John Hays, tried, and served six months in the territorial prison at Prairie du Chien until a dying Indian confessed to the crime, was released, took up a claim at the falls of Phelan’s Creek, sold it in 1844, made another claim on Prospect Hill, now Arlington Hills, the ridge on the upper side of Phelan's Creek, then made a claim on Trout Brook, where he lived until 1849, was indicted for perjury in 1850 by the first Grand Jury to ever sit in Ramsey County, and fled to California before the Ramsey County Sheriff could arrest him, where his traveling companions apparently were forced to kill him in self-defense. Phalen Creek and Lake were the original source of the St. Paul city water supply. Phalen Creek flows southward to the Mississippi River through Swede Hollow. Northward of Lake Phalen, a series of lakes has been added by the St. Paul Water Utility, partly by artificial channels, including Spoon Lake, named for its outline, Gervais, Fitzhugh (or Kohlman), Vadnais, Pleasant, and Charley Lakes, Long and Deep Lakes, and Wilkinson and Otter Lakes, reaching to the north line of Ramsey County.

If driving: Take I-35E north of downtown St. Paul to the Wheelock Parkway/Larpenteur Ave. exit. Take Wheelock Parkway east (right) about 1.8 miles to the Phalen Park Drive entrance. Go north (left) on Phalen Drive to the first parking lot on the right.

If coming by public transit: Take Metro Transit route(s): 11. The closest bus service point appears to be the corner of Maryland Avenue and Johnson Parkway/Wheelock Parkway. Applicable Metro Transit Map

Interested hikers will reassemble after the hike at a nearby restaurant (Champps, 1734 Adolphus St, Maplewood) after the hike for dessert or dinner.

Map to hike start point: Wheelock Pkwy E at Phalen Dr E

Lake Phalen Park history

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This webpage was last updated on February 28, 2011.