Wooded setting and privacy in Rice Lake
Rice Lake’s woodsy environment provides residents with a sense of privacy just outside the city of Duluth. “It’s a nice place for country living,” says Michelle Ryan, a Realtor with Re/Max who was born and raised in the area and lives nearby. “I grew up with horses and raised dogs that could run around the yard, so it’s just the perfect place for all those things.” The area was a township for more than a century until locals voted to incorporate it as a city in 2015. However, homes still have Duluth addresses and are zoned to Duluth Public Schools. The community name stems from Wild Rice Lake Reservoir, where Native Americans used to harvest wild rice. “It’s not a very busy lake,” Ryan says. “It’s nice and cozyand it’s mostly people around the lake who use it.”
Homes in the woods along rural dirt roads
The median home sale price in Rice Lake is $375,000. Common housing styles include bungalows and Cape Cods from the early 1900s as well as ranch-style and bi-level homes from the 1950s through today. Many houses are tucked away in the woods along dirt roads. With some exceptions, it’s common for newer homes to sit on 2 acres or more, helping to maintain the city’s rural aesthetic. However, parts of the community, especially on the southwest side, are close to Duluth International Airport. “We used to live a few miles from the airport, and the planes would rattle all of the dishes in the cupboard because it’s so powerful,” Ryan says.
Wild Rice Lake Reservoir, a renovated city park and a sports complex
The city maintains Rice Lake City Park, located down a dirt road. “Rice Lake City Park has been a hidden gem forever,” Ryan says. “Not a lot of people go there, and they recently updated it, too, so it’s a really beautiful park.” The park features a playground, a picnic pavilion, a volleyball court, a small pond and several athletic fields. On the east side of the community, 2,600-acre Wild Rice Lake Reservoir has a ramp that allows boaters to explore the stocked lake. Like the city park, Ryan says it’s not too busy, and the lake is mostly used by locals. Soccer, baseball and softball leagues play at the Lake Park Athletic Complex.
Local businesses scattered around town
Until recently, there wasn’t much commercial activity in Rice Lake. Several shops and restaurants have popped up around town, especially on Rice Lake Road. “There used to be a wooded area on Rice Lake Road where I would ride my dirt bike,” Ryan says. “Now there’s a Kwik Trip gas station.” This area has multiple businesses, including the Bladez Styling hair salon, Destination Fitness and BoomTown Woodfire Bar & Grill, a regional chain known for its wood-fired meats. More businesses are around the intersection of Woodland Avenue and Calvary Road, including Sammy’s Pizza, which has served Rice Lake since 1991, but has been in the Duluth area since 1954. It’s right next to the Zen House Japanese restaurant and across the street from Woodland Marketplace Foods, where locals get their groceries.
Career training and college credits at Duluth High School
Students attend Homecroft Elementary School, which is in Rice Lake and receives an A-minus grade from Niche. They’ll go on to Ordean East Middle School and Duluth East High School in Duluth, both of which receive B-plus grades. Through the “College in the Schools” program, 11th and 12th graders can earn college credits for free at the high school. Duluth East High also offers a Career and Technical Education program, where students can explore six different career fields.
Community events hosted by the volunteer fire department
The local volunteer fire department keeps the community connected. “It’s a pretty rural area where it’s hard to trick or treat, so they throw a Halloween party at the fire department every year,” says Ryan. The fire department also hosts the annual Chief Frantz Red Run 5k, which honors the late chief who died in 2013, and raises money for the Rice Lake Firefighters’ Relief Association. According to Ryan, it’s also common for the fire department to bring fire trucks to Rice Lake City Park for kids to explore.
20 to 30 minutes to Duluth and Lake Superior
No major highways run through Rice Lake. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes to drive the 10 to 20 miles into downtown Duluth or to Lake Superior. From Duluth International Airport, travelers can fly to Minneapolis, Chicago or Fort Myers.
Written By
Nicolas Stuart
