Red Sand Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota521 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Red Sand Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 23 ft max depth
- Public access
Red Sand Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 2017 caught 5.00 northern pike per gill net at Red Sand Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–30 inches. DNR survey details →
Red Sand Lake is a 521-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 23 feet. 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. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Red Sand Lake covers about 520 acres in Crow Wing County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 13, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Red Sand Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Red Sand Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing10 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 13
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Red Sand Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Red Sand Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Red Sand Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Red Sand Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft. Phosphorus 22.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 3.7 µg/L. TSI 46.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 22.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 3.7µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 46 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Red Sand Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Red Sand Lake typically sits around 50°F at the surface in October. 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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (50°F) to its warmest (76°F).
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 →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 2017 caught 5.00 northern pike per gill net at Red Sand Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–30 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Red Sand Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-06-12 (Standard Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2017-06-12 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 19.76 | 4–11 in 2017-06-12 | 0.38 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 17.07 | 6–7 in 2017-06-12 | 0.24 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 10.30 | 6–13 in 2017-06-12 | 0.56 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 9.21 | 8–14 in 2017-06-12 | 0.7 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.36 | 2–8 in 2017-06-12 | 0.24 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.14 | 5–30 in 2017-06-12 | 1.82 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
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
Lake Details
Max depth
23 ft
Surface area
521 acres
Shoreline
4.6 mi
Littoral zone
96%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,188 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Red Sand LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Red Sand Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Red Sand Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+6 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+1.1 µg/L/yr3 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 13
Earliest Mar 6, 2024 · Latest May 8, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 22
Earliest Nov 10, 2018 · Latest Dec 2, 2006
Most recent ice-out
Mar 6
2024
28 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
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
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN18-0386-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Red Sand Lake
Where is Red Sand Lake?
- Red Sand Lake is a lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Red Sand Lake?
- Red Sand Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. 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?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Red Sand Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Red Sand Lake?
- Red Sand Lake typically sits around 50°F at the surface in October, 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.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Red Sand Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 12, 2017 caught 5.00 northern pike per gill net at Red Sand Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–30 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Red Sand Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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.
Can I fish at Red Sand Lake?
- Red Sand Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Red Sand Lake across LakeQuality
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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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)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from 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