Little Rabbit Lake
Little Rabbit Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 172.17 acres.
- Clarity
- 13.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 67°F
- Max depth
- 30 ft
- Area
- 172 acres
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Why Little Rabbit Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Little Rabbit Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Little Rabbit Lake is a 172-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 19 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-08-04. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Little Rabbit Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Good clarity, visible to about 13.5 ft. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 13.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Little Rabbit Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Rabbit 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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Water Temperature
Little Rabbit Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 67°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 68°F) and coldest in May (about 55°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 103 field readings (2016–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Rabbit Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 172 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 46% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Rowe RoadPublic
- Little Rabbit Lake #1Public
- Section 6 Mine Pit LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Rabbit 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
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-08-17 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| BKS | 141.94 | — |
| Bluegill | 24.21 | 0.25 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 22.44 | — |
| CSH | 17.68 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 11.10 | 0.88 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 8.89 | — |
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
From the 2016-08-17 survey
Little Rabbit Lake is a 172 acre lake located near Riverton in Crow Wing County. Little Rabbit is part of the Mississippi River-Brainerd watershed. The lake has a maximum depth of 30'. A nearshore survey was conducted to assess the populations of both game and non-game fish species. Ten 100' long sampling stations…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Rabbit Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little RabbitFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little RabbitPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.694 m/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Little Rabbit Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN18-0139-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Little Rabbit Lake
Little Rabbit Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Little Rabbit Lake
What is the water quality grade for Little Rabbit Lake?
- Little Rabbit Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 13.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 172.17 acres.
Is Little Rabbit Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Little Rabbit Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Little Rabbit Lake?
- Little Rabbit Lake typically sits around 67°F at the surface in August, from 103 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Rabbit Lake?
- Little Rabbit Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 172.17 acres.
What fish are in Little Rabbit Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Rabbit Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, greater redhorse, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Rabbit Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Little Rabbit Lake?
- Little Rabbit Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Rowe Road, Little Rabbit Lake #1, Section 6 Mine Pit Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Little Rabbit Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
8 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA8 samples · 2020–2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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