Lower Hay Lake vs Whitefish Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Lower Hay Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Whitefish Lake. Both are in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
Lower Hay Lake and Whitefish 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, Lower Hay Lake versus Whitefish 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.
Lower Hay Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 18.5 ft down.
Whitefish Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 14.4 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Lower Hay Lake | Whitefish Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 18.5 ft Better | 14.4 ft |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L Better | 14 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.7 µg/L | 2.7 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 100 ft | 138 ft Better |
| Surface Area | 700 acres | 7,714 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 21 | 23 Better |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | 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
Lower Hay Lake and Whitefish Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Lower Hay Lake: 18.5 ft, Whitefish Lake: 14.4 ft) and what you want from the lake. Lower Hay Lake has fewer fish species than Whitefish Lake.
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Where to stay near Lower Hay Lake and Whitefish Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Lower Hay Lake and Whitefish 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 Lower Hay Lake and Whitefish Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.