Birch Lake vs Upper Gull Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Birch Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Upper Gull Lake. Both are in Cass County, Minnesota.
Both Birch Lake and Upper Gull Lake sit in Minnesota. A same-state comparison strips out the state-level water-quality regime as a variable: any differences in the readings here are about the lakes themselves, not the agencies sampling them. These two sit close on their nutrient and algae readings, Birch Lake versus Upper Gull Lake. The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With readings this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
Birch Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 14 ft.
Upper Gull Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Birch Lake | Upper Gull Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 14 ft Better | 9.5 ft |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L Better | 20 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4 µg/L Better | 5.6 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 45 ft | 54 ft Better |
| Surface Area | 1,267 acres | 422 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 14 | 20 Better |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
A green ✓ marks the better value for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better). Surface area and trophic state carry no tick — a bigger lake is not a better lake.
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Verdict
Birch Lake and Upper Gull Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Birch Lake: 14 ft, Upper Gull Lake: 9.5 ft) and what you want from the lake. Birch Lake has fewer fish species than Upper Gull Lake.
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Where to stay near Birch Lake and Upper Gull Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Birch Lake and Upper Gull Lake. Both lakes are pinned on the map, so you can see which stays sit nearer the one you pick. Switch to Satellite to see how close each is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Birch Lake and Upper Gull Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.