Bean Lake
Lake County, Minnesota31 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Bean Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 26 ft max depth
- Public access
Bean Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 31.46 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on September 30, 2024 caught 1.50 rainbow trout per gill net at Bean Lake. DNR survey details →
Bean Lake is a 31-acre mesotrophic lake in Lake County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 26 feet (12-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including rainbow trout, splake, and white sucker. Public access is available. Compared to the 34 other monitored lakes in Lake County, Bean Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Bean Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water9.8 ft of visibility
- Fishing3 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bean Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Bean Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Bean Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.8 ft. Phosphorus 9.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.7 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 9.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.7µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Bean Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Bean Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 68°F) and coldest in May (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (57°F) to its warmest (68°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 72 field readings (2022–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bean Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on September 30, 2024 caught 1.50 rainbow trout per gill net at Bean Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bean Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-09-30 (Standard Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2024-09-30 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 86.29 | 6–15 in 2024-09-30 | 0.44 lb |
| Fathead Minnow | 5.00 | ||
| Smallmouth Bass | 4.00 | 0.25 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
White Sucker
From the 2024-09-30 survey
Bean Lake is a 32-acre designated trout lake located entirely within Tettegouche State Park. It is stocked with 2,000 Splake fingerlings in the fall of odd numbered years and 1,000 Rainbow Trout yearlings each spring. There is an access with a concrete log ramp at the end of a rocky spur of the Red Dot ATV trail…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Bean Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BeanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Bean (0770)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BeanFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BeanPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
26 ft
Average depth
12 ft
Surface area
31 acres
Shoreline
1 mi
Littoral zone
51%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
0 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,207 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Bean Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bean Lake in Lake County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Bean Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Follow Bean Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bean Lake
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2022–2023). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Improving2 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.9 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.4 µg/L/yr2 years
Nearby Lakes in Lake County
Frequently asked questions about Bean Lake
Where is Bean Lake?
- Bean Lake is a lake in Lake County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bean Lake?
- Bean Lake in Lake County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 26 ft. Surface area: 31.46 acres.
Is Bean Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bean Lake?
- Bean Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September, from 72 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bean Lake?
- Bean Lake has a maximum depth of 26 feet and an average depth of 12 feet. The lake covers 31.46 acres.
What fish are in Bean Lake?
- Fish species found in Bean Lake include rainbow trout, splake, white sucker. Bean Lake is located in Lake County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bean Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on September 30, 2024 caught 1.50 rainbow trout per gill net at Bean Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bean Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Bean Lake?
- Public access to Bean Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Bean Lake across LakeQuality
2 documented falls within 13.6 mi, nearest High Falls of the Baptism River
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Lake County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
Planning a trip around Apostle Islands?
Bean Lake is about 38 miles from Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Apostle Islands →More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Bean Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
39 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA39 samples · 2022–2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder