Loon Lake vs Round Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Round Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Loon Lake. Both are in Jackson County, Minnesota.
Loon Lake and Round 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, Loon Lake versus Round 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.
Loon Lake
Very murky, less than 0.9 ft of visibility.
Round Lake
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Loon Lake | Round Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 0.9 ft | 2 ft Better |
| Phosphorus | 274 µg/L | 77 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 110 µg/L | 14.7 µg/L Better |
| Maximum Depth | 8 ft | 9 ft Better |
| Surface Area | 708 acres | 930 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 18 Better | 17 |
| Trophic State | hypereutrophic | 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
Round Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Loon Lake. Water clarity: 2 ft vs 0.9 ft. For more fish-species variety, Loon Lake edges ahead with 18 documented species.
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Where to stay near Loon Lake and Round Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Loon Lake and Round 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 Loon Lake and Round Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.