Emily Lake vs Mary Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Mary Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Emily Lake. Both are in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
Both Emily Lake and Mary 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, Emily Lake versus Mary 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.
Emily Lake
Very murky, less than 3 ft of visibility.
Mary Lake
Murky, only visible to about 4.9 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Emily Lake | Mary Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 3 ft | 4.9 ft Better |
| Phosphorus | 53 µg/L | 20.5 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 30 µg/L | 8.8 µg/L Better |
| Maximum Depth | 13 ft | 34 ft Better |
| Surface Area | 721 acres | 413 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | No |
| Fish Species | 13 | 13 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | eutrophic |
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
Mary Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Emily Lake. Water clarity: 4.9 ft vs 3 ft. For fishing diversity, Mary Lake also leads with 13 species.
Stays via Stay22
Where to stay near Emily Lake and Mary Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Emily Lake and Mary 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 Emily Lake and Mary Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.