We’ve talked a lot about the great new technology of the geothermal lake, and that it heats and cools the hospital in one of the most eco-friendly new ways, using the core temperature of the earth. But we haven’t focused much on one other major aspect of the lake—its beauty. Almost every patient room has a view of the Geothermal Lake from the bed tower, but patients aren’t the only ones who can enjoy the lake, especially during the beautiful summer-like weather we’ve been experiencing lately. We have a .75 mile walking path that wraps around the lake and allows employees, patients who are able, visitors, and anyone in the community to take in the calm beauty of this 15 acre wonder.

If you’re looking for some exercise, the lake path is the perfect place to walk. If you’re trying to imagine just how far 3/4 of a mile is, consider the following equivalents:

• A football field is 360 ft. with endzones, so 11 football fields stacked end to end
• Chicago averages 8 blocks a mile, so 6 Chicago blocks
• The distance from the old hospital at Center St. to Kimball St.
• 8 laps to a mile on the outside lane of the Centre track, so 6 laps
• Paul’s Family Restaurant to Larkin High School is .62 miles, so just over that distance
• Grand Victoria Casino to Hemmens along the Fox River is .79 miles

In .75 miles, the average person takes 1,500 steps and burns 75 calories (of course that total depends on the individual and speed walked, but 75 is a good estimate). Average walking speeds range from 3-4 miles per hour (a 15-20 minute mile pace). This means it should take 11.25-15 minutes to complete a lap around the path. If you’re looking for an hour-long walk, take four laps, which equals 3 miles.

A few things to note:

You’ll be entertained by signage along the path that gives interesting facts about Sherman, like when the first baby was born at Sherman Hospital. (This baby was among the last babies born in the Center Street hospital birthing unit.)

You also might stop at the manifold building to see the pumps for the geothermal lake and the pipes along the bottom of the lake that lead into the building.

Also, if you’re lucky, you might see a dog or two shoo the geese away!

I recently took a stroll around the lake with my camera, sister, and son, and wanted to share some of the lake sites you’ll see when you walk the path, using the hospital as perspective for where we are on on the path. We went on a hot day, but it was noticeably cooler along the path because of the breeze coming off the lake.

Tip: Park in the southwest end of the parking lot nearest Randall. There you’ll see an entrance to the walking path. When we visited on a Friday afternoon, that section of the lot had many empty spaces.

Along the path you’ll see natural prairie landscaping, trees, a creek, a marsh in the lake near the center of the path with wildflowers, and more. And the end of the path will take you by the Sherman Cafe outdoor terrace, so you can stop in for a meal or just enjoy the view from some of the tables. You also will walk right by the manifold building where the pipes for the lake are housed. If you’re just in the mood for a coffee or sandwich, visit the Sherman Perk within the Tree House Gift Shop right off the main entrance to the hospital.