The Lakes

The Lakes

The same spring-fed lakes that captivated Father Edward Sorin in 1842 still gracefully buffer the northwest edge of the Notre Dame campus. St. Mary'™s Lake to the west and St. Joseph'™s Lake to the east serve as a park and nature preserve, but in the early days they provided food, ice, marl for brick and water for steam. Each lake has a picturesque walking/jogging trail around it and plays host to various student water activities including frigid mid-winter plunges for charity and the Fisher Regatta, an annual student boat race in which participants design and build their own (not especially seaworthy) vessels. St. Joseph's Lake has a small beach and pier for swimming and a boating facility for student use.