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Stephens Lake Park


Stephens Lake Park is perfect for any time of the year. In summer, use the lake for swimming or fishing, and visit the Spraygrounds with the family. During the winter, sled down the sledding hill or ice skate and ice fish on the lake.


Park Facilities

Lake – 11 acres

Free WiFi Internet Access

Thanks to funding from the Park Sales Tax for the equipment and sponsorship by iZones, free WiFi Internet access is available at selected areas of Stephens Lake Park around the park shelters, beach area, and Riechmann Pavilion. As a sponsor, iZones has donated the monthly Internet costs.

The only equipment required to access the free service is a laptop and a WiFi card that is compatible with the 802.11(x) standard. On the laptop, search for available WiFi networks, select the “(park name)” and click on “connect.” Users will be redirected to a welcome page. On the welcome page, click on the “connect” link to access the Internet.

Winter Sports

Stephens Lake Park is the center for outdoor winter sports in Columbia. There is a hill for sledding on the east side of the lake, which can be accessed from the park entrance at 2001 Broadway. Park users can warm themselves with a bonfire during the winter sports season at the fire pit at Collins Shelter near the sled hill, and there is a heated restroom nearby open year round. Wood is provided by the Parks and Recreation Department when there is snow on the ground or the lake conditions permit skating and can be found in the wood shed near Collins Shelter. Ice skating is allowed on Stephens Lake only when the ice has been checked and deemed thick enough. Ice fishing is allowed on Cosmo-Bethel Lake when conditions allow.

A press release will be issued and signs posted when the lake ice conditions are favorable for skating and ice fishing. For updates on ice conditions on both Stephens and Cosmo-Bethel Lakes, watch for announcements on the Parks and Recreation home page.