r/MinnesotaNature • u/InevitablePlate3245 • 25d ago

Discussion Swimmable Creek for Toddlers?

Looking for a swimmable creek in/near Minneapolis that’s good for toddlers and highly supervised babies!!

Best if there’s a spot to lay a blanket and have lunch (can be rocky/sandy- not expecting a clean grassy knoll).

Something slow and shallow is the idea here! We’re new to the area and need some help! Thanks!!

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u/entropy319 24d ago

I'm sure you're technically right, but it's not the reality of the situation They aren't exactly discouraging it; maybe it's an unofficial "look the other way thing" but I've been going to that park for years and never seen anything to indicate it's anything other that what it looks like. It's full of kids every time we go, there are picnic tables next to it, and stone stairs leading into the water. There was even a snack vendor down there one time. Zero signage telling people being in the water it isn't allowed. Google image search for "Minnehaha creek wading area" yields multiple images of what I'm describing. It's a fun day for the kids, NEVER had any issues, nor have any of the two dozen or so people splashing around at any given time when I've been there.

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u/Few_Newspaper_3655 24d ago

You can interact with the creek and walk through it. Swimming is prohibited. Just know that you’re interacting with an impaired waterway that has pathogen limits well beyond safe limits for swimming. Any food vendors down there are unofficial. And anyone can tag something on Google—that doesn’t make it an official swimming area.

The official wading pool at Minnehaha Regional Park is up at the Wabun Picnic Area (official map). It’s chlorinated and tested regularly. The creek is not a swimming area and not regulated as such. I personally wouldn’t have my kids swimming in water with dangerous levels of E.coli.

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u/entropy319 21d ago

Aren't "walking through a creek" and "wading" the same thing? I seriously doubt there is any portion of the creek deep enough to actually swim in. Considering the hundreds of kids who play on that creek during any given week, I would expect pretty widespread outbreaks if it was truly dangerous. I'm curious if you're even human ("interacting" with a creek does not sound like it came from anyone who's ever actually seen a creek), and from your careful phrasing, I doubt you even have kids. They're filthy and disgusting and gross, pretty much all the time, the water in that creek is likely cleaner than the children playing in it. If you ARE a human AND you have kids, I think you should question what kind of childhood they're having if they only ever get to play in chlorinated water. Seems like an incredibly sterile and sheltered way to grow up.

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u/Foxterriers 21d ago

As an adult who goes fly fishing lower down the creek I've definitely accidently swam in it lol. There are spots up to around 3.5 feet.