Information about good places to watch the race, parking and shuttle bus information for spectators.

Where to Watch

Watching and cheering for skiers in the City of Lakes Loppet is a great way to spend a winter day. Dress warm, bring some hot cocoa and cheer loudly! There are multiple locations along the course to catch skiers. Some of the best spectating locations are listed below. Click the links to see a map of the area indicated.

• Start area at Wirth Park Chalet – see start shuttle bus information below
• JD Rivers Garden – park in the Glenwood Avenue/Xerxes Avenue area
• Bryn Mawr Elementary School & Anwatin Middle School
• Brownie Lake & Cedar Lake – park along Cedar Lake
• Lake of the Isles – park along Lake of the Isles
• Uptown finish area – see Uptown finish area map

Sunday Spectator Parking

Optum Health Parking Lot:

There is NO parking or drop-off at the Wirth Park Start Area!

Use the Optum Health parking lot for parking and drop-off. Please do not park on neighborhood streets near Theodore Wirth Park or in Uptown. Wirth Parkway will be closed to traffic from Olson Memorial Highway (Hwy 55) to Golden Valley Road. Buses will return to the lot from With Chalet continuously until the last skier passes, approximately 11:24 a.m. Buses will then make trips between the Uptown finish area and the Optum Health parking lot until 4:00 p.m. The bus trip from the Optum Health lot to Wirth will take 10 minutes and 20 minutes from Uptown back to the parking lot.

Optum Health Parking Lot Address:
6300 Olson Memorial Highway (Hwy 55), at Douglas Drive N. (northwest corner)
0.5 miles west of Hwy 100 and 2.0 miles east of Hwy 169
Buses will start loading at 7:30 a.m.

Directions:
From 1-394 – North on Hwy 100 to Olson Memorial Hwy (55), then west (left) at light to Douglas Drive
From I-94/I-694 – South on Hwy 100 to Olson Memorial Hwy (55), turn west (right) at light to Douglas Dr
From Downtown (or I-94) – Take Olson Memorial Hwy (55) west to Douglas Dr. (4 miles)

Lake Calhoun Executive Center:
A shuttle bus will run between the Lake Calhoun Executive Center parking lot and the Uptown finish area from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Lake Calhoun Executive Center
3033 Excelsior Blvd
From Optum Health Specialized Care Services Lot – Take Hwy 100 south to Minnetonka Blvd, go east to Market Plaza/West Calhoun Blvd, turn right across Excelsior Blvd. to parking lot.

Jefferson Elementary School Lots:
The school is located on Hennepin behind 26th and 24th Streets. Two lots, enter off Hennepin or Emerson Aves.
From Optum Health lot – Take Hwy 100 south to Minnetonka Blvd, go east (merges with Lake Street) and continue through Uptown to Hennepin Ave. Turn left and proceed four blocks to 26th St, the school is on your right side.