Jessie Lake vs Long Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Long Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Jessie Lake. Both are in Beltrami County, Minnesota.
Jessie 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. The readings are close: Jessie Lake and Long Lake sit within a narrow band of each other on phosphorus, chlorophyll-a and clarity. The per-parameter table below shows where the small differences actually live.
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.
Jessie Lake
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft.
Long Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 20 ft down.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Jessie Lake | Long Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 4.6 ft | 20 ft Better |
| Phosphorus | 23.5 µg/L | 7 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.6 µg/L | 1.8 µg/L Better |
| Maximum Depth | 35 ft | 87 ft Better |
| Surface Area | 3,598 acres | 412 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | No |
| Fish Species | 17 Better | 11 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | oligotrophic |
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.
Swap a lake
Compare Jessie Lake or Long Lake against a different lake.
Verdict
Jessie Lake and Long Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Jessie Lake: 4.6 ft, Long Lake: 20 ft) and what you want from the lake. Jessie Lake supports more documented fish species.
Stays via Stay22
Where to stay near Jessie Lake and Long Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Jessie 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 Jessie Lake and Long Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip to Jessie Lake and Long Lake?
Get lake water-quality updates plus the best cabin & lodging deals near Jessie Lake and Long Lake — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.