Spirit Lake
Aitkin County, Minnesota11 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Spirit Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 46 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Spirit Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 10.79 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 4, 1986 caught 0.25 northern pike per trap net at Spirit Lake. DNR survey details →
Spirit Lake is a 11-acre lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 46 feet (15-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-12. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Spirit Lake covers about 11 acres in Aitkin County. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Spirit Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Spirit Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11 ft of visibility
- Deep water46 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Spirit 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 Spirit Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Spirit Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11 ft. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Spirit Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Spirit Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 63°F) and coldest in May (about 54°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (54°F) to its warmest (63°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 261 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Spirit Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 4, 1986 caught 0.25 northern pike per trap net at Spirit Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Spirit Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1986-06-04 (Standard Survey).
1 survey on file · most recent 1986-06-04 (Standard Survey)
40 years old| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 0.50 | 0.38 lb | |
| Northern Pike | 0.25 | 1 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.
From the 1986-06-04 survey
The present fish population is made up of fish that have probably been stocked by anglers from other area lakes. In the 1958 survey the lake had a low population of northern pike and bluegill with a large population of yellow perch. Between 1914 and 1943 the lake had been stocked with walleye, bass, sunfish and…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Spirit Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little TurtleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Turtle (0047)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
46 ft
Average depth
15 ft
Surface area
11 acres
Shoreline
0.6 mi
Littoral zone
56%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
24 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,240 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Spirit Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Spirit Lake in Aitkin 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 Spirit Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Follow Spirit Lake’s readings
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Fishing Spirit Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Improving6 years
Nearby Lakes in Aitkin County
Frequently asked questions about Spirit Lake
Where is Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake is a lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake in Aitkin County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 46 ft. Surface area: 10.79 acres.
Is Spirit Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in September, from 261 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake has a maximum depth of 46 feet and an average depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 10.79 acres.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Spirit Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 4, 1986 caught 0.25 northern pike per trap net at Spirit Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Spirit Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Can I fish at Spirit Lake?
- Public access to Spirit Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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.
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Where this data comes from
84 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
MNPCA84 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder