Gladstone Lake
Gladstone Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 437.05 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.5 ft
- Max depth
- 36 ft
- Area
- 437 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 8
- Open water
- 226 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Gladstone Lake is a 437-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 36 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, Gladstone Lake ranks #45 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-20. 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)
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 45.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 17 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 45 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Gladstone Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Gladstone 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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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 36 ft |
| Surface Area | 437 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 56% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Gladstone LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Gladstone 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
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-17 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 40.59 | 0.19 lb |
| BCS | 22.01 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 20.16 | 1.17 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 13.79 | — |
| Yellow Bass | 8.08 | 0.56 lb |
| Northern Pike | 7.87 | 1.16 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 Bass
Northern Pike
From the 2024-06-17 survey
Gladstone is a 407 acre lake located 10 miles north of Brainerd in Crow Wing County. Gladstone reaches depths of 36 feet, with 60% of the lake less than 15 feet deep. Emergent vegetation such as cattails and bulrush beds are located around the lake. Protection of aquatic vegetation, especially emergent vegetation, is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Gladstone Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GladstoneFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Gladstone (0361)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — GladstonePublic 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 | ↑ Improving | +0.115 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.23 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.01 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (14 observations).
Estimated open water season: 226 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2016-03-27 (2016) | 2022-05-01 (2022) |
| Ice-In | 2019-11-08 (2019) | 1999-12-10 (1999) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-30
EPA Impairment Status
Gladstone 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 MN18-0375-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.32 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #45 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Gladstone Lake
What is the water quality grade for Gladstone Lake?
- Gladstone Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 437.05 acres.
Is Gladstone Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Gladstone Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Gladstone Lake?
- Gladstone Lake has a maximum depth of 36 feet. The lake covers 437.05 acres.
What fish are in Gladstone Lake?
- Fish species found in Gladstone Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Gladstone Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does Gladstone Lake thaw?
- Gladstone Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 8. Ice typically forms around Nov 20. The open water season is approximately 226 days.
Are there boat ramps on Gladstone Lake?
- Gladstone Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Gladstone Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Gladstone 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 Crow Wing County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Minnesota's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
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State Parks Near Gladstone Lake
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Compare Gladstone Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
56 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
MNPCA56 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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
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