Maple Lake vs Sand Hill Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Sand Hill Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Maple Lake. Both are in Polk County, Minnesota.
Both Maple Lake and Sand Hill 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, Maple Lake versus Sand Hill 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.
Maple Lake
Very murky, less than 3.3 ft of visibility.
Sand Hill Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 6.9 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Maple Lake | Sand Hill Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 3.3 ft | 6.9 ft Better |
| Phosphorus | 38.5 µg/L | 26 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 17.8 µg/L | 6.8 µg/L Better |
| Maximum Depth | 14 ft | 17 ft Better |
| Surface Area | 1,641 acres | 479 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 12 Better | 6 |
| Trophic State | eutrophic | 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
Maple Lake and Sand Hill Lake read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Maple Lake: 3.3 ft, Sand Hill Lake: 6.9 ft) and what you want from the lake. Maple Lake supports more documented fish species.
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Where to stay near Maple Lake and Sand Hill Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Maple Lake and Sand Hill 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 Maple Lake and Sand Hill Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.