Lone Lake
Lone Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 22.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 433.49 acres.
- Clarity
- 22.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 63°F
- Max depth
- 60 ft
- Area
- 433 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 18
- Open water
- 223 days
Next lake in Aitkin County
Why Lone 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 Lone 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.
Lone Lake is a 433-acre lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 60 feet. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-10. 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 Lone Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 22.5 ft down. Trophic State Index: 32.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 22.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 32 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Lone Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lone Lake in Aitkin 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 Lone Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Lone Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 63°F) and coldest in May (about 53°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 218 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lone Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 60 ft |
| Surface Area | 433 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 34% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Lone LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lone Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-06-25 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| MMS | 50.26 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 30.75 | — |
| BNS | 12.09 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 10.36 | 0.7 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 9.43 | 0.47 lb |
| Bluegill | 8.93 | 0.19 lb |
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.
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Bass
Bluegill
From the 2024-06-25 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Lone Lake was conducted on 06/25/2024 by Aitkin Area Fisheries staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lone Lake. 5 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LoneFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Lone (0006)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Lone (2047)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — LoneFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LonePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.122 m/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (80 observations).
Estimated open water season: 223 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2000-03-28 (2000) | 2013-05-10 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 1991-11-08 (1991) | 2024-01-01 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-05-04
EPA Impairment Status
Lone Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN01-0125-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Lone Lake
Lone Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Aitkin County
Frequently asked questions about Lone Lake
What is the water quality grade for Lone Lake?
- Lone Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 22.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 433.49 acres.
Is Lone Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Lone 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 Lone Lake?
- Lone Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August, from 218 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lone Lake?
- Lone Lake has a maximum depth of 60 feet. The lake covers 433.49 acres.
What fish are in Lone Lake?
- Fish species found in Lone Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Lone Lake is located in Aitkin County, Minnesota.
When does Lone Lake thaw?
- Lone Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 18. Ice typically forms around Nov 27. The open water season is approximately 223 days.
Are there boat ramps on Lone Lake?
- Lone Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lone Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Lone Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
82 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA82 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate