In the parking lot in front of the Park Visitor's Center.
Note: Parking is FREE at Three Rivers Park District locations.
Route:
A 3.355 mile paved loop circling Cleary Lake passes mainly through prairie and some small woodlots. Wildlife can be seen along this trail, particularly in the fall.
Unpaved ski-trails are also available for running during the non-ski season. Note: they are not well marked. These trails, which travel through more heavily wooded sections than the paved trail, are lit in the fall months (making the trail easy to follow -- simply run light to light) until the snow falls. At that time, these trails are converted to ski trails and are not accessible to runners. The short loop has been measured at 1.4 miles. The long loop at 2.9 miles.
Other things to know:
Cleary Lake Regional Park is a fine location for group runs as all routes begin and end at the Visitor's Center. This allows runners to join or leave the group at varying distances. Frequent fluid and restroom breaks can also be easily implemented. Note: the Visitor's Center is often closed during prime running hours. Additional restroom facilities can be found to the north of the Visitor's Center, on the opposite side of the parking lot.
