Moose Lake
Moose Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 52 ft. Surface area: 412.3 acres.
- Clarity
- 8 ft
- Typical in August
- 59°F
- Max depth
- 52 ft
- Area
- 412 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Itasca County
Moose Lake is a 412-acre mesotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 52 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2021. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, brown bullhead, and largemouth bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Moose Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-28. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8 ft. Phosphorus level: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 5.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 48.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 24 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 48 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Moose Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Moose Lake in Itasca 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
Moose Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 59°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 62°F) and coldest in Jun (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 66 field readings (2021–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Moose Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (199,526 cells/mL) on May 23, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 52 ft |
| Surface Area | 412 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 23% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Moose LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Moose Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-08-06 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 54.18 | 0.19 lb |
| GOS | 15.23 | — |
| CNM | 8.73 | — |
| BNS | 6.92 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 5.46 | 0.85 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.14 | 1.9 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.
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
From the 2018-08-06 survey
Moose Lake is a small lake located six miles southeast of Northome, MN in northern Itasca County. The lake lies within the Chippewa National Forest and the Big Fork River watershed. Much of the shoreline is undeveloped forest land managed by the US Forest Service. There is a concrete ramp public access at the south…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Moose Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — MooseFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Moose (0697)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — MooseFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — MoosePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 2 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.8 m/yr | 2 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +21.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -2.5 µg/L/yr | 2 |
County Ranking
Ranked #12 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Moose Lake
What is the water quality grade for Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 24 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 52 ft. Surface area: 412.3 acres.
Is Moose Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Moose Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 5.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in August, from 66 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake has a maximum depth of 52 feet. The lake covers 412.3 acres.
What fish are in Moose Lake?
- Fish species found in Moose Lake include black crappie, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Moose Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Does Moose Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Moose Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (199,526 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Moose Lake?
- Moose Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Moose Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
29 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
MNPCA29 samples · 2020–2021
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory