Cedar Lake Faribault Public Water Access Closed Beginning July 6

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says the Cedar Lake boat launch is the busiest in Rice County.  It will be closed July 6 through August 31 so they can make a number of improvements.

I stopped by this afternoon and visited with folks from Kenyon, Prior Lake, Harmony who were Minnesota nice when I asked about the closure.  The gentleman from Prior Lake said, "You can't really pick a perfect time.  I'm glad they waited until after the 4th of July."

A Kenyon woman told me her son loves to fish on the lake and her son said the fishing is "Awesome.  It's the best lake around for fishing."

The man from Harmony was the brother-in-law of the Prior Lake man and thought improvements had been needed there for some time.

DNR Parks and Trails Area Supervisor Joel Wagar says, "The current setup at the public water access has a number of traffic flow issues.  We appreciate the boating public's patience while this project is under construction, but we're confident they will enjoy the many upgrades."

Improvements will include paved and striped parking stalls, expanded parking, and energy efficient lighting.  Wagar also indicates the upgrades will be better suited for modern-sized boats and pickup trucks and should help create a better experience.

Other improvements include a portable restroom, a tie-down stall and improved stormwater handling.

There are no other public water accesses on Cedar Lake in Rice County so the DNR encourages boaters to visit their website to find public water accesses on other lakes.

Upgrades have not been made to the Cedar Lake Public Water Access since 1985 and Wagar adds, "Boating looked a little bit different in 1985.  Things have gotten bigger, longer.  So we really needed to do something to help with a number of different things at the site."