East Fox Lake
East Fox Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 240.88 acres.
- Clarity
- 16.4 ft
- Typical in August
- 62°F
- Max depth
- 65 ft
- Area
- 241 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 26
Next lake in Crow Wing County
East Fox Lake is a 241-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 65 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, East Fox Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-01. 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 16.4 ft down. Phosphorus level: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near East Fox Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near East Fox 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
East Fox Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 113 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full East Fox Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 65 ft |
| Surface Area | 241 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 42% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- East Fox LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing East Fox Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
19 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-28 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 33.94 | — |
| Bluegill | 16.40 | 0.18 lb |
| IOD | 11.66 | — |
| Green Sunfish | 6.27 | 0.11 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 5.68 | 0.66 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 5.21 | 0.26 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
Green Sunfish
Largemouth Bass
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2025-07-28 survey
East Fox is a 240 acre lake that is located one mile west of Fifty Lakes in Crow Wing County. A public access is on the north shoreline. East Fox reaches depths of 65 feet, with 42% of the lake 15 feet deep or less. Water clarity measured during the 2025 survey was excellent, with a Secchi depth of 17 feet. A standard…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for East Fox Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — East FoxFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — East Fox (0230)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — East FoxFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — East FoxPublic 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 | → Stable | -0.047 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.09 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.12 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (4 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2006-04-13 (2006) | 2022-05-06 (2022) |
Most recent ice-out: 2022-05-05
EPA Impairment Status
East Fox 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 MN18-0297-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.07 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about East Fox Lake
What is the water quality grade for East Fox Lake?
- East Fox Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 240.88 acres.
Is East Fox Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. East Fox Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of East Fox Lake?
- East Fox Lake typically sits around 62°F at the surface in August, from 113 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is East Fox Lake?
- East Fox Lake has a maximum depth of 65 feet. The lake covers 240.88 acres.
What fish are in East Fox Lake?
- Fish species found in East Fox Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. East Fox Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does East Fox Lake thaw?
- East Fox Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 26.
Are there boat ramps on East Fox Lake?
- East Fox Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include East Fox Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore East Fox Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
157 measurements from 3 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
MNPCA157 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (3)
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