Deer Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.

How deep is Deer Lake?

Deer Lake has a maximum depth of 49.9 feet. The lake covers 1831 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Deer Lake?

Deer Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Deer Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Deer Lake?

Deer Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

Deer Lake

Itasca County, Minnesota1,831 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Minnesota PCA for this lake.

Max depth

49.9 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

1,831 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

9 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Mercury
50 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Deer Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 49.9 ft. Surface area: 1831 acres.

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Deer Lake is a 1,831-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 50 feet. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Deer Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp
Deep water49.9 ft surveyed max depth
Big water1,831 acres

Swimming conditions

No reading

Not rated

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Deer Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Deer Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

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Water quality measurements for Deer Lake

These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Deer Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

No clarity data. TSI undefined.

Ask about Deer Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Max depth

49.9 ft

Surface area

1,831 acres

Shoreline

9 mi

Public access

Yes

Listed by Minnesota PCA

The depth above comes from a bathymetric survey of this lake, not from a regional estimate.

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Deer LakePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Deer Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Deer 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 Deer Lake

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Fishing Deer Lake

→ Deer Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

Deer Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).

Causes of impairment

Mercury

Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.

A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN31-0334-00 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Itasca County

Deer Lake8.9 ft clear · Mesotrophic0.5 miView →Pickerel Lake10.2 ft clear · Mesotrophic1.1 miView →Beaver Lake1.7 miView →Erskine Lake18 ft clear · Oligotrophic2.4 miView →Popple Lake1.9 miView →Battle Lake8.2 ft clear · Mesotrophic1.9 miView →

Frequently asked questions about Deer Lake

Where is Deer Lake?: Deer Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Deer Lake?: Deer Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 49.9 ft. Surface area: 1831 acres.
Is Deer Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Deer Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Deer Lake?: Deer Lake has a maximum depth of 49.9 feet. The lake covers 1831 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Deer Lake?: Deer Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Deer Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Deer Lake?: Deer Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.