Forest Lake, MN

Forest Lake is a Washington County city northeast of Saint Paul and Minneapolis, named for the lake that still helps define the community. It began as a stop on the St. Paul and Duluth Railroad, and that transportation history helped turn it into a local center. Today the Forest Lake Area school system, lake recreation, neighborhood growth, and freeway access all shape daily life. The city feels like a Twin Cities edge community with a stronger lake-town identity than many suburbs.