Where is Lake McDonald?

Lake McDonald is a lake in Ketchikan Gateway County, Alaska. Its water-quality measurements are published by Alaska DEC and shown on this page as reported.

How deep is Lake McDonald?

No published bathymetric survey covers Lake McDonald, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 109 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 1027 acres.

Are there campgrounds on Lake McDonald?

Lake McDonald has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Mcdonald Lake Cabin. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.

Lake McDonald

Ketchikan Gateway County, Alaska1,027 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Alaska DEC for this lake.

Mean depth

~109 ft est.

HydroLAKES model

Area

1,027 acres

Surface area

109 ft mean depth (modelled)

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Lake McDonald in Ketchikan Gateway County, Alaska has water-quality measurements published by Alaska DEC, shown here as reported. Surface area: 1027 acres.

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Lake McDonald is a 1,027-acre lake in Ketchikan Gateway County, Alaska with an estimated average depth of about 109 feet.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, your state environmental agency. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Lake McDonald is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Camping1 public campground nearby
Big water1,027 acres

Swimming conditions

No reading

Not rated

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Lake McDonald is safe to swim in today is a call for the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

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Water quality measurements for Lake McDonald

These are the measurements Alaska DEC publishes for Lake McDonald, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

No clarity data. TSI undefined.

Ask about Lake McDonald

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Mean depth

~109 ft est.

Surface area

1,027 acres

Depth marked “est.” is a modeled estimate from HydroLAKES, not a measured survey. Alaska has not published bathymetry for Lake McDonald.

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

47 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Mean depth

~109 ft est.

Modelled from terrain, not sounded

Shoreline

11.3 mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

59 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.

Recreation & Access

Campgrounds

Public campgrounds near Lake McDonald

Mcdonald Lake Cabin3.8 kmReserve

Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Lake McDonald

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake McDonald in Ketchikan Gateway County, Alaska — 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 Lake McDonald

Prices for Oct 16–18, 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.

Follow Lake McDonald’s readings

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Fishing Lake McDonald

→ Lake McDonald fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Nearby Lakes in Ketchikan Gateway County

Halfmoon Lake5.7 miView →Lake Rowena6.9 miView →Lake Maude7.2 miView →Lake Shelokum7.6 miView →Lake Nellie8.8 miView →Lake Bess8.7 miView →

Frequently asked questions about Lake McDonald

Where is Lake McDonald?: Lake McDonald is a lake in Ketchikan Gateway County, Alaska. Its water-quality measurements are published by Alaska DEC and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake McDonald?: Lake McDonald in Ketchikan Gateway County, Alaska has water-quality measurements published by Alaska DEC, shown here as reported. Surface area: 1027 acres.
Is Lake McDonald safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake McDonald?: No published bathymetric survey covers Lake McDonald, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 109 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate. The lake covers 1027 acres.
Are there campgrounds on Lake McDonald?: Lake McDonald has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Mcdonald Lake Cabin. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.