Hanging Horn Lake
Carlton County, Minnesota409 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Hanging Horn Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Impaired · Mercury
- Eurasian watermilfoil
- 80 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Hanging Horn Lake in Carlton County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 80 ft. Surface area: 408.66 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 20, 2020 caught 2.22 walleye per gill net at Hanging Horn Lake. DNR survey details →
Hanging Horn Lake is a 409-acre lake in Carlton County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 80 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-08-13. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Hanging Horn Lake covers about 410 acres in Carlton County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 23, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Hanging Horn Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Hanging Horn Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing11 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 23
- Deep water80 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Hanging Horn Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Hanging Horn 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.
Water quality measurements for Hanging Horn Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Hanging Horn Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 6.5 ft. TSI 50.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 50 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Hanging Horn Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 20, 2020 caught 2.22 walleye per gill net at Hanging Horn Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hanging Horn Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2020-07-20 (Standard Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2020-07-20 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 43.74 | 6–12 in 2020-07-20 | 0.4 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 20.29 | ||
| Bluegill | 6.75 | 3–9 in 2020-07-20 | 0.21 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 3.14 | 3–7 in 2020-07-20 | 0.14 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
From the 2020-07-20 survey
Hanging Horn was surveyed during the summer of 2020 to evaluate and update information about fish populations, and to evaluate the effectiveness of the Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout stocking programs. Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout are the primary species of management for Hanging Horn Lake. Just over 19,500 yearling…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Hanging Horn Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Hanging HornFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Hanging Horn (0271)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Hanging HornFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Hanging HornPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
80 ft
Surface area
409 acres
Shoreline
4.6 mi
Littoral zone
21%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Hanging Horn 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 Hanging Horn Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hanging Horn Lake in Carlton 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 Hanging Horn Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Hanging Horn Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Hanging Horn Lake
- → Hanging Horn Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Hanging Horn Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Hanging Horn Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Hanging Horn Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 23
Earliest Apr 14, 2005 · Latest May 4, 2022
Typical ice-in
Dec 1
Earliest Nov 25, 1991 · Latest Dec 3, 2004
Most recent ice-out
May 4
2022
10 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Hanging Horn Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN09-0038-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Carlton County
Frequently asked questions about Hanging Horn Lake
Where is Hanging Horn Lake?
- Hanging Horn Lake is a lake in Carlton County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Hanging Horn Lake?
- Hanging Horn Lake in Carlton County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 80 ft. Surface area: 408.66 acres.
Is Hanging Horn Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Hanging Horn Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Hanging Horn Lake?
- Hanging Horn Lake has a maximum depth of 80 feet. The lake covers 408.66 acres.
What fish are in Hanging Horn Lake?
- Fish species found in Hanging Horn Lake include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Hanging Horn Lake is located in Carlton County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Hanging Horn Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 20, 2020 caught 2.22 walleye per gill net at Hanging Horn Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hanging Horn Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Hanging Horn Lake thaw?
- Hanging Horn Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 23. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 222 days.
Are there boat ramps on Hanging Horn Lake?
- Hanging Horn Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Hanging Horn Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Hanging Horn Lake?
- Hanging Horn 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.
Explore Hanging Horn Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Carlton County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Minnesota
State Parks Near Hanging Horn Lake
Other Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
4 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
MNPCA4 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate