Park Lake

Park Lake comes in at a B on the grading rubric — a respectable showing for a Minnesota lake of its size and depth. Clarity is the limiting factor — phosphorus is reasonable but suspended particles or algal cells keep water transparency below Minnesota norms.

A TSI near 46 places Park Lake in the mesotrophic band — moderate productivity, with seasonal swings between clearer spring water and richer late-summer conditions. A maximum depth of 16 ft puts Park Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. Park Lake covers 381 acres alongside 3.4 miles of shoreline — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Park Lake ranks 9 of 33 in Carlton County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.

Park Lake has no invasive species recorded in Minnesota state databases as of 2024, though prevention practices still apply at all access points. Walleye are documented at Park Lake, one of 13 fish species on record for the lake. A documented public access point at Park Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The lake has a partial ice record — 17 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 21. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.