Hinds Lake
Hubbard County, Minnesota305 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Hinds Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 36 ft max depth
- Public access
Hinds Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 305.44 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 13, 2022 caught 18.50 northern pike per gill net at Hinds Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 14–31 inches. DNR survey details →
Hinds Lake is a 305-acre mesotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 36 feet (16-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Hinds Lake ranks #40 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Hinds Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water13.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Deep water36 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Hinds 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 Hinds Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Hinds Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. Phosphorus 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4 µg/L. TSI 41.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 13.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 11µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 41 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Hinds Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Hinds Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 21 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Hinds Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 13, 2022 caught 18.50 northern pike per gill net at Hinds Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 14–31 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hinds Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-06-13 (Standard Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2022-06-13 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 28.79 | 3–8 in 2022-06-13 | 0.13 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 7.87 | 5–18 in 2022-06-13 | 0.88 lb |
| Northern Pike | 7.31 | 14–31 in 2022-06-13 | 1.68 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 7.00 | 5–7 in 2022-06-13 | 0.12 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 6.83 | 6–12 in 2022-06-13 | 0.38 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
Green Sunfish
From the 2022-06-13 survey
Hinds Lake is located five miles south of Park Rapids in southern Hubbard County. Hinds has a surface area of 305 acres and a maximum depth of 36 feet. A county owned public access is located on the northeast shore of the lake off Blue Spruce Road. Hinds provides angling opportunities for Northern Pike, Largemouth…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Hinds Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — HindsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Hinds (1275)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — HindsPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
36 ft
Average depth
16 ft
Surface area
305 acres
Shoreline
3.5 mi
Littoral zone
72%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
3 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,355 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Hinds 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 Hinds Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Hinds Lake in Hubbard 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 Hinds Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Hinds Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.4 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.26 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Hinds Lake
Where is Hinds Lake?
- Hinds Lake is a lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Hinds Lake?
- Hinds Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 36 ft. Surface area: 305.44 acres.
Is Hinds Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Hinds Lake?
- Hinds Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 21 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Hinds Lake?
- Hinds Lake has a maximum depth of 36 feet and an average depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 305.44 acres.
What fish are in Hinds Lake?
- Fish species found in Hinds Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Hinds Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Hinds Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 13, 2022 caught 18.50 northern pike per gill net at Hinds Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 14–31 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Hinds Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Hinds Lake?
- Hinds Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Hinds Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Hinds Lake?
- Hinds 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 Hinds 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 Hubbard County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Park Rapids Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
85 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
MNPCA85 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 (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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory