Red Sand Lake
Red Sand Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 521.38 acres.
- Clarity
- 9 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 23 ft
- Area
- 521 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
- Open water
- 223 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Red Sand Lake is a 521-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 23 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black bullhead, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Red Sand Lake ranks #32 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. 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 9 ft. Phosphorus level: 22.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 22.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Red Sand Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Red Sand 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
Red Sand Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Oct (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 214 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Red Sand Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 23 ft |
| Surface Area | 521 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 96% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Red Sand LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Red Sand Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-06-12 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 19.76 | 0.38 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 17.07 | 0.24 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 10.30 | 0.56 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 9.21 | 0.7 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.36 | 0.24 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.14 | 1.82 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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Brown Bullhead
Largemouth Bass
From the 2017-06-12 survey
The southern tip of Red Sand Lake lies within the city limits of Baxter, MN. Red Sand has been known to at least partially winterkill on regular basis, the last time being during the winter of 2013-2014. This is often followed by a year or two of poor fishing, while the fish that remain tend to grow at an increased…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Red Sand Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Red SandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Red SandFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Red SandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.139 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +6 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.1 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (28 observations).
Estimated open water season: 223 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2024-03-06 (2024) | 2013-05-08 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-10 (2018) | 2006-12-02 (2006) |
Most recent ice-out: 2024-03-06
EPA Impairment Status
Red Sand 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 MN18-0386-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #32 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Red Sand Lake
What is the water quality grade for Red Sand Lake?
- Red Sand Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 521.38 acres.
Is Red Sand Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Red Sand Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Red Sand Lake?
- Red Sand Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 214 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Red Sand Lake?
- Red Sand Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 521.38 acres.
What fish are in Red Sand Lake?
- Fish species found in Red Sand Lake include black bullhead, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, yellow perch. Red Sand Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does Red Sand Lake thaw?
- Red Sand Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13. Ice typically forms around Nov 22. The open water season is approximately 223 days.
Are there boat ramps on Red Sand Lake?
- Red Sand Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Red Sand Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Red Sand Lake across LakeGrade
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Fish species and best lakes in Crow Wing County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
109 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
MNPCA109 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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