Devil Track Lake
Devil Track Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 1876.36 acres.
- Clarity
- 7 ft
- Max depth
- 50 ft
- Area
- 1,876 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- May 7
- Open water
- 200 days
Next lake in Cook County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Devil Track Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 50 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Devil Track Lake is a 1,876-acre mesotrophic lake in Cook County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 50 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including bluegill, green sunfish, and lake whitefish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Cook County, Devil Track Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-07. 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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7 ft. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 5.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Devil Track Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Devil Track Lake in Cook 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 Devil Track Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Devil Track Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (105,682 cells/mL) on June 6, 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 | 50 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,876 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 17.4 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 33% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Devil Track LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Devil Track 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
17 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-08-01 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Green Sunfish | 8.57 | 0.1 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.36 | 0.21 lb |
| SMS | 5.17 | — |
| Walleye | 3.00 | 0.83 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 2.10 | 0.97 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.50 | 2.74 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.
Green Sunfish
Yellow Perch
Walleye
Smallmouth Bass
From the 2024-08-01 survey
Devil Track Lake is a large, 1,876-acre lake within Cook County and has a maximum depth of 50 ft. The lake is located approximately 5 miles northwest of Grand Marais and there are two public boat accesses with a USFS campground located on the north side of the lake off Cook County Road 8. Devil Track Lake is a very…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Devil Track Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Devil TrackFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Devil Track (1799)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Devil TrackFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Devil TrackPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (56 observations).
Estimated open water season: 200 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2010-04-10 (2010) | 2014-05-20 (2014) |
| Ice-In | 2002-11-07 (2002) | 2001-12-11 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-05-13
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Devil Track Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Devil Track (completed 1987), built primarily for recreation on the DEVIL TRACK RIVER; rockfill-type dam, 12 ft tall and 50 ft long.
- Surface area
- 1,873 ac
- Normal storage
- 15,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 17,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 24 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- USDA FS
All listed purposes: Recreation;Fish and Wildlife Pond.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00089 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Devil Track 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 MN16-0143-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #10 of 44 lakes in Cook County
Nearby Lakes in Cook County
Frequently asked questions about Devil Track Lake
What is the water quality grade for Devil Track Lake?
- Devil Track Lake in Cook County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 50 ft. Surface area: 1876.36 acres.
Is Devil Track Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Devil Track Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 5.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Devil Track Lake?
- Devil Track Lake has a maximum depth of 50 feet. The lake covers 1876.36 acres.
What fish are in Devil Track Lake?
- Fish species found in Devil Track Lake include bluegill, green sunfish, lake whitefish, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Devil Track Lake is located in Cook County, Minnesota.
When does Devil Track Lake thaw?
- Devil Track Lake typically has ice-out around May 7. Ice typically forms around Nov 23. The open water season is approximately 200 days.
Does Devil Track Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Devil Track Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (105,682 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Devil Track Lake?
- Devil Track Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Devil Track Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Devil Track 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 Cook County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Minnesota Lake Rankings
State Parks Near Devil Track Lake
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Compare Devil Track Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
125 measurements from 2 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
MNPCA125 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 (2)
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