SAKATAH STATE PARK
Sakatah-Singing Hills State Trail runs through Sakatah Lake State Park and stretches 39 miles from Mankato to Faribault. The paved trail offers hikers, bikers, skiers, and snowmobilers beautiful scenery through Minnesota's hardwoods. Sakatah Lake, a natural widening of the Cannon River, lures canoeists to paddle the calm waters, and anglers to catch walleye, large mouth and white bass, northern pike, and panfish. Whatever the season, visitors enjoy camping and picnicking.
Original notes from surveyors in the late 1800's described the area as low, rolling land with second rate timber and prairieland with bur oak, basswood, aspen, butternut, elm, ash, and ironwood. This area is an example of a transition zone, or ecotome, between the Southern Oak Barrens and the Big Woods Landscape Regions.
Glacial activity 14,000 years ago shaped this landscape. The park sits on a moraine, a large mound of rock and mineral debris deposits. In some areas of the park, these moraine deposits are up to 400 feet deep. Glacial ice blocks left by receding glaciers formed depressions which filled with water creating lakes such as Sakatah Lake.
Open fields, wetlands, upland forests, lakes, and forest edges provide the perfect habitat for many southern Minnesota wildlife species. Deer, muskrat, raccoon, mink, rabbit, and red fox are animals commonly seen in the park. Listen for songbirds, woodpeckers, hawks, and owls in the park.
Members of the Dakota Nation, the Wahpekita (Wapacoota) tribe inhabited the area that is now the park. They named the area Sakatah, which translates to "Singing Hills," hence the name for the state trail. The Cannon and other area rivers served as an important Indian water route between south central Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Big Woods made land travel difficult and a water route allowed larger loads. Numerous trading posts and Indian villages existed along the route. A village site is believed to have existed in the area of the point separating Sakatah and Lower Sakatah Lakes. In 1862 a trader by the name of Alexander Faribault established a post on the northeast shore of Cannon Lake -- one of the first white settlements in the area. He eventually opened at least five other trading posts along the Cannon River.
1. Sakatah State Park offers a sandy beach for swimming on the shores of Lake Sakatah.
2. No lifeguards are present, so swim at your own risk.
3. The lake is known for its clear water and gentle waves, ideal for beginner swimmers.
4. Swimming areas are marked with buoys to ensure safety from boating activities in other parts of the lake.
5. Restrooms and picnic facilities near the beach make it convenient for day-long outings or quick dips into cool waters.
The park offers a variety of boating options for visitors. There is access to Sakatah Lake, which spans over 700 acres and provides opportunities for motorized as well as non-motorized boats. Canoe rentals are available within the park itself while boat ramps can be found at both ends of the lake providing easy water entry points. Fishing enthusiasts will find an abundance of species in this body of water including walleye, northern pike and various types of panfish.
Located in Minnesota, this park offers fishing opportunities on Sakatah Lake. Species include Walleye, Northern Pike and Bluegill among others. Fishing from a boat or the shoreline is possible here. A public access point for boats exists too.