Blue Lake
Blue Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 17.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 84 ft. Surface area: 336.35 acres.
- Clarity
- 17.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 60°F
- Max depth
- 84 ft
- Area
- 336 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 26
- Open water
- 220 days
Next lake in Hubbard County
Blue Lake is a 336-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 84 feet (44-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Blue Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. 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 17.3 ft down. Phosphorus level: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 36 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Blue Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Blue 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
Blue Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 67°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 89 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Blue Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Blue Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (10,375 cells/mL) on April 25, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 84 ft |
| Average Depth | 44 ft |
| Surface Area | 336 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 24% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Blue LakePublic
- Vagabond Village CampgroundSemi-private
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Blue Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-05 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 41.40 | — |
| MMS | 39.53 | — |
| BKF | 27.54 | — |
| IOD | 12.27 | — |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 12.14 | 0.28 lb |
| JND | 10.47 | — |
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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
From the 2024-08-05 survey
Blue Lake is located seven miles northeast of Park Rapids in Hubbard County. Blue Lake has a surface area of 336 acres and a maximum depth of 84 feet. There is a DNR-owned public access with a concrete ramp located on the northwest shore of the lake off Half Moon Road. Blue Lake is known for its exceptional water…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Blue Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BlueFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Blue (1276)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — BlueFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BluePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.31 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.23 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.06 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (30 observations).
Estimated open water season: 220 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-26 (2012) | 2013-05-13 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-20 (2018) | 2023-12-29 (2023) |
Most recent ice-out: 2021-04-05
EPA Impairment Status
Blue 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 MN29-0184-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 68 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Blue Lake
What is the water quality grade for Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 17.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 84 ft. Surface area: 336.35 acres.
Is Blue Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Blue Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in August, from 89 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake has a maximum depth of 84 feet and an average depth of 44 feet. The lake covers 336.35 acres.
What fish are in Blue Lake?
- Fish species found in Blue Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Blue Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
When does Blue Lake thaw?
- Blue Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 26. Ice typically forms around Dec 2. The open water season is approximately 220 days.
Does Blue Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Blue Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (10,375 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Blue Lake, Vagabond Village Campground. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Blue 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
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Blue Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
100 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA100 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 (1)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate