Lake Loop Trail

The Lake Loop Trail at Newton Hills State Park circles Lakewood Lake, a small but ecologically productive impoundment nestled in a wooded valley at the park's heart, passing through a succession of habitat types that make this one of the best birdwatching loops in the eastern Dakotas. The trail begins at the park's main beach area and follows the shoreline through stands of cattail and sedge marsh where red-winged blackbirds and marsh wrens are raucous throughout the nesting season. The route transitions into mature bur oak woodland on the hillside above the lake, then returns through a restored prairie wetland section before completing the circuit at the beach.

Spring wildflowers along the wooded sections are exceptional, with large patches of wild blue phlox, shooting star, and prairie phlox creating colorful carpets in May. The lake itself supports populations of largemouth bass, bluegill, and northern pike, and bank fishing is permitted along most of the shoreline. Common loons occasionally stop on the lake during spring migration, and hooded mergansers nest in the old-growth cottonwood cavities near the water. The elevated sections of the loop provide pleasant views across the lake to the forested hillsides beyond, particularly striking in October when the oak canopy turns russet and gold. This trail is a reliable family-friendly outing suitable for older children and fits well as a complement to the more demanding Coteau des Prairies Trail.