Bear Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.

Are there boat ramps on Bear Lake?

Bear Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bear Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Bear Lake?

Bear Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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.

Bear Lake

St. Louis County, Minnesota132 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Minnesota PCA for this lake.

Area

132 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

2.9 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Mercury
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Bear Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Surface area: 132 acres.

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Bear Lake is a 132-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Bear Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp

Swimming conditions

No reading

Not rated

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Bear Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Bear 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.

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Water quality measurements for Bear Lake

These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Bear Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

No clarity data. TSI undefined.

Ask about Bear Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Surface area

132 acres

Shoreline

2.9 mi

Public access

Yes

Listed by Minnesota PCA

No bathymetric survey has been published for Bear Lake, so its depth is not documented here.

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Bear LakePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Bear Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bear Lake in St. Louis 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 Bear Lake

Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.

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Follow Bear Lake’s readings

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Fishing Bear Lake

→ Bear Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

Bear Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0113-00 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County

Boyer Lake1.3 miView →Valley Lake1.7 miView →Moose Lake1.7 miView →White Lake11.5 ft clear1.8 miView →Pequaywan Lake8.5 ft clear2.7 miView →Pequaywan Lake—View →

Frequently asked questions about Bear Lake

Where is Bear Lake?: Bear Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Bear Lake?: Bear Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Surface area: 132 acres.
Is Bear Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Bear Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Bear Lake?: Bear Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bear Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Bear Lake?: Bear Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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.