Lake Minnetonka

Lake in Hennepin County, southeastern Minnesota. This irregularly shaped body of water, with numerous arms and bays, extends for 18 km/11 mi and is the site of many of the most affluent suburbs of Minneapolis–St Paul, which lies 19 km/12 mi to the east.

Many of the lakeside cities were summer resorts in an agricultural region before they were populated by a permanent residential population. The city of Minnetonka is situated east of the lake. Wayzata (population (1990) 3,800) stands on Wayzata Bay, at the lake's far northeastern end. Deephaven (population 3,700) is also in this area. The cities of Tonka Bay (population 1,500), Excelsior (population 2,400), and Shorewood (population 5,900) are along the southern shore, while Minnetrista (population 3,400) lies at the western end. On peninsulas in the centre of Minnetonka's western shore are Spring Park (population 1,600) and Minnetonka Beach (population 600). The city of Mound (population 9,600) lies between the western arms of the lake and neighbouring, smaller lakes, and Orono (population 7,300) is situated on the northern shore. Lake Minnetonka is drained by Minnehaha Creek, which flows from its eastern end, through Minneapolis, to the Mississippi River at Minnehaha Falls.