Hamlet Lake

On the LakeGrade rubric, Hamlet Lake pulls an A: clarity at 18.5 ft and phosphorus readings still being added put it in the top bracket for Minnesota.

A TSI value of 35 puts Hamlet Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. Hamlet Lake is unusually deep for Minnesota at 88 ft, which buffers the lake against summer warming and helps the deep water stay oxygenated. At 307 acres, Hamlet Lake fits the Minnesota median for monitored lakes, with 4.5 miles of shoreline. Among the 120 graded lakes in Crow Wing County, Hamlet Lake ranks 12 — in the top quartile locally.

Hamlet Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. The state fisheries records do not list documented species for Hamlet Lake, which usually reflects a lack of formal fisheries survey work rather than an empty lake. The lake lacks a documented public access point, so visitor use is limited. Ice-out has been logged at Hamlet Lake more than two dozen times, putting the median around Apr 17 — a useful baseline for tracking climate trends. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.