Carlos Lake vs Miltona Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Carlos Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Miltona Lake. Both are in Douglas County, Minnesota.
Both Carlos Lake and Miltona 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, Carlos Lake versus Miltona 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.
Carlos Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down.
Miltona Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 18.7 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Carlos Lake | Miltona Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 18 ft | 18.7 ft Better |
| Phosphorus | 13.5 µg/L Better | 18 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.1 µg/L Better | 2.9 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 163 ft Better | 105 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,605 acres | 5,731 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 21 Better | 19 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | 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
Carlos Lake and Miltona Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Carlos Lake: 18 ft, Miltona Lake: 18.7 ft) and what you want from the lake. Carlos Lake supports more documented fish species.
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Where to stay near Carlos Lake and Miltona Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Carlos Lake and Miltona 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 Carlos Lake and Miltona Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.