Smokey Hollow Lake
Smokey Hollow Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 125.48 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 76°F
- Max depth
- 25 ft
- Area
- 125 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Smokey Hollow Lake is a 125-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 25 feet. Water quality is graded C based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, Smokey Hollow Lake ranks #81 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-13. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyModerate
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.
Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality
Water Quality Grade: C (Fair)
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 11 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 11 µg/L | Fair |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Smokey Hollow Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Smokey Hollow 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
Smokey Hollow Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 18 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Smokey Hollow Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 25 ft |
| Surface Area | 125 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 41% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Smokey Hollow LakePublic
- Roosevelt LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Smokey Hollow Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2017-07-24 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 19.68 | 1.08 lb |
| Bluegill | 17.23 | 0.11 lb |
| Black Crappie | 6.98 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 6.41 | 0.71 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.76 | 0.09 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 3.63 | 0.22 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
Bluegill
Black Crappie
Yellow Bass
From the 2017-07-24 survey
Smokey Hollow is a quiet 114 acre lake located one mile south of Outing in Crow Wing County. Smokey Hollow reaches depths of 25', with 45% being 15' deep or less. A small public access is located on the east side of the lake. Water lilies are fairly common along the lakeshore. Protection of aquatic vegetation,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Smokey Hollow Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Smokey HollowFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Smokey Hollow (0433)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Smokey Hollow (1523)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Smokey HollowPublic 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 | ↓ Declining | -0.081 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.17 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.65 µg/L/yr | 6 |
EPA Impairment Status
Smokey Hollow Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN11-0043-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (1.9 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #81 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Smokey Hollow Lake holds Grade C. 3 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about Smokey Hollow Lake
What is the water quality grade for Smokey Hollow Lake?
- Smokey Hollow Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 11 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 125.48 acres.
Is Smokey Hollow Lake safe to swim in?
- Generally safe for swimming, moderate water quality. Smokey Hollow Lake has a water quality grade of C (Fair). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 11 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Smokey Hollow Lake?
- Smokey Hollow Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 18 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Smokey Hollow Lake?
- Smokey Hollow Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 125.48 acres.
What fish are in Smokey Hollow Lake?
- Fish species found in Smokey Hollow Lake include black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Smokey Hollow Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Smokey Hollow Lake?
- Smokey Hollow Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Smokey Hollow Lake, Roosevelt Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
64 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA64 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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
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