Big Sand Lake
Big Sand Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 23 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 135 ft. Surface area: 1638.65 acres.
- Clarity
- 23 ft
- Typical in August
- 58°F
- Max depth
- 135 ft
- Area
- 1,639 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 26
- Open water
- 233 days
Next lake in Hubbard County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Big Sand Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 130 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Big Sand Lake is a 1,639-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 135 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Big Sand Lake ranks #31 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-23. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 23 ft down. Phosphorus level: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 33.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 23 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 33 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Big Sand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Sand Lake in Hubbard 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.
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Water Temperature
Big Sand Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 61°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 378 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Big Sand Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 135 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,639 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 28% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Sand Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-24 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| MMS | 102.90 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 58.69 | — |
| White Sucker | 17.91 | 1.88 lb |
| BKF | 17.47 | — |
| BNS | 16.27 | — |
| Walleye | 14.21 | 1.59 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.
Bluntnose Minnow
White Sucker
BNS
Walleye
From the 2023-07-24 survey
Big Sand Lake is located seven miles northeast of Park Rapids in central Hubbard County. Big Sand has a surface area of 1,635 acres and a maximum depth of 135 feet. A state owned public access is located on the south shore of the lake off Grouse Road, next to the outlet of the Sand River. Access with small boats is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Big Sand Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Big SandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Big Sand (1289)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Big SandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.139 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.51 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.05 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (27 observations).
Estimated open water season: 233 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2015-04-14 (2015) | 2013-05-13 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2007-12-01 (2007) | 2001-12-20 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-09
EPA Impairment Status
Big Sand Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN29-0185-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #31 of 68 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Big Sand Lake
What is the water quality grade for Big Sand Lake?
- Big Sand Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 23 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 135 ft. Surface area: 1638.65 acres.
Is Big Sand Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Big Sand Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Big Sand Lake?
- Big Sand Lake typically sits around 58°F at the surface in August, from 378 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Big Sand Lake?
- Big Sand Lake has a maximum depth of 135 feet. The lake covers 1638.65 acres.
What fish are in Big Sand Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Sand Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Big Sand Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
When does Big Sand Lake thaw?
- Big Sand Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 26. Ice typically forms around Dec 15. The open water season is approximately 233 days.
Explore Big Sand Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Hubbard County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Park Rapids Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
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Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
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Where this data comes from
322 measurements from 4 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA322 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (4)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate