Garfield Lake vs Long Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Long Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Garfield Lake. Both are in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
Garfield Lake and Long Lake are both in Minnesota — a same-state head-to-head where the comparison comes down to lake-specific differences in depth, watershed, and monitoring history rather than the broader state-level water-quality regime. These two sit close on their nutrient and algae readings, Garfield Lake versus Long 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.
Garfield Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft.
Long Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 11.2 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Garfield Lake | Long Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 9.5 ft | 11.2 ft Better |
| Phosphorus | 19 µg/L | 10 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.8 µg/L | 4.5 µg/L Better |
| Maximum Depth | 32 ft | 135 ft Better |
| Surface Area | 972 acres | 1,926 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 12 | 14 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
Garfield Lake and Long Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Garfield Lake: 9.5 ft, Long Lake: 11.2 ft) and what you want from the lake. Garfield Lake has fewer fish species than Long Lake.
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Where to stay near Garfield Lake and Long Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Garfield Lake and Long 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 Garfield Lake and Long Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.