Camp Lake
Camp Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 533.59 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 42 ft
- Area
- 534 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Camp Lake is a 534-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 42 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 12 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Camp Lake ranks #73 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-25. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
Watch Camp Lake water quality
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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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.3 ft. Phosphorus level: 19.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 10.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 19.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 10.4 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Camp Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Camp Lake in Crow Wing 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
Camp Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Oct (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 15 field readings (2023–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Camp Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Camp Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (59,156 cells/mL) on March 9, 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 | 42 ft |
| Surface Area | 534 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 9.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 39% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Camp LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Camp Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-19 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 15.06 | — |
| Green Sunfish | 14.20 | 0.01 lb |
| Bluegill | 14.11 | 0.21 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 9.99 | 1.35 lb |
| GOS | 7.22 | 0.11 lb |
| CNM | 4.69 | — |
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.
Green Sunfish
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
GOS
From the 2023-07-19 survey
A targeted survey of the nearshore fish community in Camp Lake was conducted by Fisheries Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff from 19-20 July 2023. Fourteen sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 15-foot or 50-foot seine, where…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Camp Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — CampFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Camp (0024)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — CampPublic 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 | -0.171 m/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #73 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Camp Lake holds Grade C. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Camp Lake
What is the water quality grade for Camp Lake?
- Camp Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 8.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 42 ft. Surface area: 533.59 acres.
Is Camp Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Camp Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 10.4 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Camp Lake?
- Camp Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 15 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2023–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Camp Lake?
- Camp Lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet. The lake covers 533.59 acres.
What fish are in Camp Lake?
- Fish species found in Camp Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Camp Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
Does Camp Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Camp Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (59,156 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Camp Lake?
- Camp Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Camp Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Camp Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
76 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
MNPCA76 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory