Garfield Lake vs Steamboat Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Steamboat Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Garfield Lake. Both are in Minnesota.
Both Garfield Lake and Steamboat 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, Garfield Lake versus Steamboat 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.
Steamboat Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Garfield Lake | Steamboat Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 9.5 ft | 12 ft Better |
| Phosphorus | 19 µg/L | 11 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.8 µg/L | 3.4 µg/L Better |
| Maximum Depth | 32 ft | 93 ft Better |
| Surface Area | 972 acres | 1,756 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 12 | 15 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 Steamboat Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Garfield Lake: 9.5 ft, Steamboat Lake: 12 ft) and what you want from the lake. Garfield Lake has fewer fish species than Steamboat Lake.
Stays via Stay22
Where to stay near Garfield Lake and Steamboat Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Garfield Lake and Steamboat 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 Steamboat Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.