Twin Cities Property Finder · David Olson, Broker · MN #BK3603584 · Whitefish Property Finder · MN #40646463 · Licensed in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Florida
Lake Minnetonka is a massive lake that stretches across numerous communities. While it’s residents refer to it as a singular body of water, Lake Minnetonka is actually a collection of several smaller, kettle lakes that are adjoined to one another via straits and channels.
If you’re thinking about a home near the water, here’s what to know about the lake and the area around it.
Here’s an honest look, whether you’re selling or buying.
Life on All the Bays in Lake Minnetonka
It is this unique, sprawling layout that causes Lake Minnetonka to be so diverse in its lakeshore offerings and to have so many unique beaches, marinas, and bays. Below is an exhaustive list of all the bays in Lake Minnetonka:
Halsted’s Bay: Located on the most western end of Lake Minnetonka and within the city of Minnetrista, this bay was named after one of the first settlers in the area, Frank W. Halsted. Water flows into the bay from the Six Mile Creek to its west. The bay is also littered with private docks that belong to the local residents. Halsted Bay was one of the very last to experience residential development. This spot is currently a very popular spot in which to live, as the locals enjoy prime access to Lake Minnetonka
Priest’s Bay: Priest Bay is located on the western side of Upper Lake; between Cooks and Halstead Bays. The bay is within both of the cities of Mound and Minnetrista. The homes along the bay are very expensive, with stretching views of the beautiful lake. The bay was named after J.D. Priest, who had a farm nearby in the late 1800’s. The best homes are on Hardscrabble Point, which is on the south end.
Parks, access and things to do
Cook’s Bay: Cook’s Bay is within the city of Mound, and covers about 550 acres. Back in the day, this bay was home to many of the grandest hotels. Cook’s Bay provides a boat launch, and is home to Surfside park, one of the most popular parks and beaches in the area.
West Upper Lake: As the largest body of water in the western part of Lake Minnetonka, West Upper Lake is home to Lake Minnetonka Regional Park. The land surrounding this area is in Minnetrista, and the most outstanding homes are on both Hardscrabble and Cedar Point.
Smithtown Bay: As one of the most peaceful and alluring bays on Lake Minnetonka, and named after the Smith brothers (early settlers of the area), Smithtown Bay is where some of the most beautiful homes are located. The bay has easy access to the large lake, and because of its location, tends to have calmer waters on windier days.
More about the area
Phelp’s Bay: Both the Phelp’s Bay and the nearby Phelps island were named after Carrington Phelps, who owned several hundred acres of land in the area. The homes near Phelp’s Bay enjoy a beautiful view of this magnificent bay, as each summer day it can be seen full of recreational life.
East Upper Lake: Another large body of water on Lake Minnetonka, the East Upper Lake is just south of Spring Park. Crescent beach is located on its shores and is a popular place to enjoy a summer day. The bay has several points that host more of the area’s expensive home.
Carman’s Bay: Located within the city of Orono, Carman’s Bay was named after John Carman, who was the first to settle in the area. The best spot to live along this bay is undoubtedly Casco Point, as the area provides highly coveted access and views of Lake Minnetonka.
Good to know
Spring Park Bay: Spring Park Bay was named after the city on which its shores reside, Spring Park. It is a lovely spot that provides public boat access. This bay is also home to Lake Minnetonka’s main patrol station.
Black Lake: As one of the smallest parts of Lake Minnetonka, this lake is barely half a mile wide at best. It is a peaceful and quaint area to be. Access to the lake can be found across Black Lake Bridge, and it has a low-wake zone in order to allow for calmer waters.
Emerald Lake: On the west side of Lake Minnetonka, near Cook’s Bay and the city of Mound, Emerald Lake provides another calm and charming area for its residents to enjoy. Because of the minimum wake zone, this is a popular fishing spot on Lake Minnetonka.
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Seton Lake: Seton Lake is a smaller body of water which derived its name from Elizabeth Seton. Located in the city of Mound, this lake serves as a channel between Cook’s Bay, Harrison’s Bay, and Spring Park Bay. This lake is also a minimum throttle zone, allowing for a calmer atmosphere.
Harrison’s Bay: Nathaniel Harrison, a boat builder and owner of a successful rice farm, was one of the very first residents in the area near Harrison’s Bay, hence its name. Shadywood Point, Centerview Beach and Lake Minnetonka Marina can all be found within the bay. Because of its location and amenities, this northwestern Lake Minnetonka bay is one of the busiest.
Jenning’s Bay: Jennings Bay was named after a printer from New York named Frederick Jennings. This bay is known for being one of the more active and social bays in Lake Minnetonka. With a maximum depth of twenty-six feet and an average depth of eleven feet, this bay is a prime location for boating and swimming.The total surface area of the bay is 290 acres. Woodland Point and Skogsberg Point both host the area’s most beautiful homes. The bay has shores that run along both the cities of Mound and Minnetrista.
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West Arm Bay: Another extremely active and busy bay, West Arm Bay is named for its geographical location. This bay is also home to Rockvam Marina, which is a very successful and full-service family business that allows boat storage, slippings, and maintenance. The best real estate on the bay is on Fagerness Point and Shadywood Point. West Arm Bay has shoreline in the cities of Mound, Spring Park, and Orono.
Crystal Bay: Allen French was one of the early-day settlers in the northern part of Lake Minnetonka. He lived near Crystal Bay and highly appreciated and marveled at the water’s beauty. He was so enthralled with the scenic view, that he named the spot Crystal Bay for its crystal-like waters that reflected the skies above it. This bay provides outstanding views of the famous Lafayette Club and Noerenberg Gardens. Crystal Bay is the deepest part of Lake Minnetonka at 115 feet and the best homes are on Bohn’s Point. The bay has shoreline in both Orono and Minnetonka Beach.
North Arm Bay: Much like that of West Arm Bay, North Arm Bay received its name from its geographical location on Lake Minnetonka. This bay is unique in that it only has shoreline in one city, that being Orono. North Arm connects to Maxwell Bay to the east and Crystal Bay to the south. Many of the locals say that this is the best bay in which to go tubing or surfing.
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Stubb’s Bay: As one of the remote and reclusive bays on Lake Minnetonka, Stubb’s Bay was named after the Stubb family, a family that had perhaps the most powerful farming business in the area. This bay is mainly residential and has shores along the city of Orono. Stubb’s Bay is in the northernmost part of Lake Minnetonka. This bay is another very popular spot to fish because it is large enough to host many fishing boats at once, but calm enough to enjoy the activity without interference from loud or active boaters.
Maxwell Bay: Like many of the early settlers in the mid 1850’s, the Maxwell family got word of Lake Minnetonka and the wonderful land that it offered. They built a cabin along the shore of what is know today as Maxwell Bay, and the body of water received its name from the family’s influence in the area. Maxwell Bay is in between Crystal and Stubb’s Bay. Noerenberg Memorial County Park, Wayzata Marina and North Shore Marina are the main areas of attraction as they offer residents and visitors access to the waters. The bay’s shores run along the city of Orono.
Lafayette Bay: The Lafayette bay is named after the famous luxury hotel that serviced thousands of tourists that visited the area in its glory days. The hotel was built by the famous James J. Hill in the 1890’s. This bay’s central location on Lake Minnetonka offers the ideal location to truly appreciate the wonder of this vast lake. Huntington Pointe, Recreation Point and West Point are the prime real estate areas on this popular bay. Lafayette Bay also serves as a backdrop to the famous Lafayette Club, which only adds to the wealth of amenities that the club’s members enjoy.
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Smith’s Bay: Another highly active spot on Lake Minnetonka is Smith’s Bay. Northshore Marina, Arcola Bridge and the prominent Bracketts Point all call this bay home, as they offer the residents prime services and residential locations.
Brown’s Bay: Another early inhabitant to build a cabin on the shore of Lake Minnetonka was a man by the name of James Brown. He settled near this beautiful spot, which is known today as Brown’s Bay. This bay is situated along the eastern end of Lake Minnetonka, and has shores on both Wayzata and Orono. Lookout Point and Brackett’s Point are two of the prominent spots along this bay.
Wayzata Bay: The picturesque Wayzata Bay is the most scenic part of the city of Wayzata, the city from which it gets it’s name. The bay is constantly bustling with activity, and boats sail to and from their docks. Downtown Wayzata is close to the bay, and locals and visitors enjoy utilizing the popular Wayzata Beach. Along the bay are also several of the finest restaurants in which visitors can enjoy a family outing or a romantic date. The local Yacht Club, Shaver Park, and prime real estate areas of Cedar’s Pointe, Breezy Pointe, and Wick’s Point can all be found on this active and social bay.
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Gray’s Bay: Gray’s Bay is Lake Minnetonka’s most easterly bay and is home to the headwaters of the Minnehaha Creek. This bay is unique from Lake Minnetonka’s other bays in that all boats must adhere to a closed throttle/minimum wake from 4pm on Fridays until after 12am on Monday morning. Minnetonka and Wayzata are two city lines that make up the shores of Gray’s Bay. Once called Lake Browning, this important bay was named after Amos Gray, one of the earliest founders of Lake Minnetonka in 1852. Public boat access is available on Gray’s Bay.
Robinson’s Bay: The shoreline on Robinson’s Bay is split between the city of Deephaven and the city of Woodland. This recognized bay on Lake Minnetonka is named after Alfred Robinson whose farm resided along the shoreline in the 1800’s. Robinson’s Bay lies on the southeast of Brown’s Bay, south of Wayzata Bay, and on the east side of the Lower Lake. Two points of interest of this bay includes Gibson’s Point and Robinson’s Bay Beach (located at 3344 Robinson’s Bay Road) which includes restrooms, a swimming dock, off-street parking and picnic tables. The lifeguard hours are from noon-6 p.m.
St. Louis Bay: The city of Deephaven encompasses this St. Louis Bay. Significant real estate in this area includes Sunset Point. This peaceful and calm body of water was named by Charles Gibson, who was a successful lawyer from the city of St. Louis. On the shoreline was the great Hotel St. Louis, built by Gibson. St. Louis Bay is located on the southeast shoreline of Lower Lake Minnetonka, just north of Carson’s Bay. Places of interest on this bay are Deephaven Beach which is the most popular beach in Deephaven. This is most likely because it provides on duty lifeguards and plenty of swimming areas in which to play. This bay also has two of the Lake Minnetonka Yacht Club’s islands; Lighthouse Island and Bug Island. This bay is an entirely closed throttle/minimum wake area.
A simple plan for your Lake Minnetonka move
I’ve been helping people sell and buy homes across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Florida for about two decades, and I build and remodel luxury homes too. I’ll help you see both what a property is and what it could be.
Getting the house ready, or making it yours
If you’re selling and want repairs handled before buyers see them, Super Crew Contractors can give you an estimate. If you’re ready for something custom, Ivy Lane Homes does luxury home building and remodeling. And a quick coverage check with Intrinsic Insurance before closing can save you a surprise. Learn more: Lake Minnetonka, Browns Bay, Orono Minnesota, Orono. Ready to talk? Start a buyer plan or ask what your home is worth.
Super Crew Contractors, Ivy Lane Homes and Intrinsic Insurance are owned by David Olson; you are free to use any contractor, builder or insurer.
Your next step in Lake Minnetonka
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