Beauty Lake
Hubbard County, MinnesotaLimited DataOligotrophic
On the LakeGrade rubric, Beauty Lake pulls an A: clarity at 21.0 ft and phosphorus readings still being added put it in the top bracket for Minnesota.
Trophically, Beauty Lake reads as oligotrophic — nutrient-poor, clear, and ecologically more sensitive to disturbance than richer lakes. The lake's 53 ft maximum depth is in the upper tier for Minnesota — deep enough for cold-water fish to find refuge in summer. Beauty Lake is small — 55 acres alongside 1.7 miles of shoreline — which makes it sensitive to even modest changes in watershed runoff or recreational pressure. Beauty Lake ranks 18 of 76 in Hubbard County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.
Beauty Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. Walleye are documented at Beauty Lake, one of 7 fish species on record for the lake. Public access is available — the lake is on the Minnesota PCA public-access list. Monitoring depth is thin here: the LakeGrade rubric is applied to a small number of sample years, and the grade will be revised as more data accumulates.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-10-08. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 21 ft down. Trophic State Index: 33.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 21 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 33 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 53 ft |
| Surface Area | 54.96 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 12% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Fish Species
Click a species to see all Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes where it is found.
→ Best fishing times for Beauty Lake (14-day solunar calendar)
→ Is it safe to eat fish from Beauty Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
→ Beauty Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.03 m/yr | 5 |
Location
County Ranking
Ranked #18 of 76 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Beauty Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2011-08-30 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 19.77 | 0.07 lb |
| Northern Pike | 8.79 | 1.38 lb |
| CNM | 3.32 | — |
| Pumpkinseed | 3.16 | 0.27 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 2.76 | 1.31 lb |
| Walleye | 1.25 | 4.38 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
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.
Bluegill
Northern Pike
Pumpkinseed
Largemouth Bass
From the 2011-08-30 survey
Beauty Lake is a small, 55 acre lake with a maximum depth of 53.0 feet located 19 miles north of Park Rapids in Hubbard County. There is a county-owned public boat access located on the southeast shore of the lake. The first fisheries survey of Beauty Lake was conducted in 2001, so historical information about the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Beauty Lake. 2 reports on file.
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BeautyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BeautyPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
EPA Impairment Status
Beauty Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN29-0292-00 · Official waterbody report
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Most recent sample: 2024-10-08
Monitoring stations: 1