Burns Lake
Burns Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 100 ft. Surface area: 181.29 acres.
- Clarity
- 16.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 56°F
- Max depth
- 100 ft
- Area
- 181 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Itasca County
Burns Lake is a 181-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 100 feet (40-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2022. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Burns Lake ranks #38 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-06-14. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Burns Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 16.1 ft down. Phosphorus level: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 36.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16.1 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 Burns Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Burns Lake in Itasca 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 Burns Lake
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Burns Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 55°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 58°F) and coldest in May (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 100 field readings (2021–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Burns Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 100 ft |
| Average Depth | 40 ft |
| Surface Area | 181 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 43% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Cameron LakePublic
- Burns LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Burns Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2020-08-19 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 32.80 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 28.28 | — |
| BKF | 22.03 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 17.26 | 0.7 lb |
| BNS | 10.74 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 7.57 | 0.13 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
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
From the 2020-08-19 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Burns Lake was conducted beginning on August 19th, 2020 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Burns Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — BurnsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Burns (0713)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — BurnsPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.25 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -1 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.2 µg/L/yr | 2 |
County Ranking
Ranked #38 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Burns Lake
What is the water quality grade for Burns Lake?
- Burns Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 100 ft. Surface area: 181.29 acres.
Is Burns Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Burns 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 Burns Lake?
- Burns Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in August, from 100 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Burns Lake?
- Burns Lake has a maximum depth of 100 feet and an average depth of 40 feet. The lake covers 181.29 acres.
What fish are in Burns Lake?
- Fish species found in Burns Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Burns Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Burns Lake?
- Burns Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cameron Lake, Burns Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Burns Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Itasca County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Lakes in the Rainy Lake Watershed, 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 Burns Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Oligotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
19 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA19 samples · 2021–2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory