lake mccarrons county park

At this point in life, I love going to the beach. Sand and water are the best babysitters and my kids pretty much ignore me when those guys are around.

It's low-maintenance parenting in a sensory-rich environment. Double brownie points.

Recently, we visited Lake McCarrons County Park (1795 Rice Street, Roseville), which has one of the closest beaches to us. I think it was the fastest two hours of my life this week (aside from "all" the time I got "sleep," of course).


Here's what you need to know:
Parking: Lot
Age range (playground): 1+
Sidewalks: Paved to play area, picnic shelter, dock, and through the park (but not to the beach)
Seating: Limited benches by play area
Bathrooms: Located in picnic shelter
Picnic tables: Several in picnic shelter with more by the beach and dock areas
Grills: Located in picnic shelter and by the beach and dock areas
Sports field: Open fields; dock for fishing

Lake McCarrons County Park is a good-sized park located off a busy street near the border of Roseville and Saint Paul. Even with how busy it gets (and trust me: it gets busy), there's always parking available.


The nearest park amenities to the parking lot are the picnic shelter and, a short walk from there, the playground.

If you're considering hosting a party here (it's a pretty nice shelter that seats around 50 people), either make reservations through the county or arrive super early to call dibs. Take my word for it that evening hours here, especially during the weekends and holidays, are super busy.


The play area is laid with mulch and has a playground and swing set. One feature I appreciate about the McCarrons' playground is that one end is perfect for walking tots and the other for skilled climbers. Kids of all ages can enjoy the play space.

A couple minutes' walk past the picnic shelter and pavilion is the beach. It's newest feature is a sand and water play area. While there's a life guard post, I've never seen one on duty during any of our visits.

McCarrons Lake is a naturally-occurring lake. This means if you're planning on swimming, don't be surprised by fish and other lake critters (no leeches in my experience!).


The park includes a beach front and a dock for fishing. Most of the lake, however, is private property belonging to Roseville residents. We've seen dogs swim across the lake and hang out in the park. If you're not fond of dogs, just be aware that there might be an escapee running loose.

For those who are interested in fishing, most of what you'll catch are sunfish. We have, however, also caught crappie here.

I love that McCarrons has an overflow of grilling space and picnic areas. I feel most parks aren't well-stocked in this way. I also like how these cooking areas are spread out across the park instead of all in one area (who would picnic that close to strangers?).


Because this park is located near the border of Saint Paul and Roseville, this park isn't as clean as most Roseville parks (I didn't even know it was a Roseville park until I looked it up). You can basically find litter or uncleaned picnic areas throughout the park.

Additionally, and I'm guessing it's because of the lake, there are a ton of geese here. It only follows that there's also a ton of geese poop. On the grass, in picnic areas, on the beach, even in the lake. No matter how careful I am, some of it always ends up stuck to a wheel of the wagon.

Furthermore, the company isn't always friendly-looking. My kiddos and I only ever visit by ourselves or with friends during the morning hours. If you're planning to go in the evening hours, make sure you go with others--or a loyal dog.