Spirit Lake
Spirit Lake in Wadena County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 113.9 acres.
- Clarity
- 15.4 ft
- Typical in August
- 63°F
- Max depth
- 45 ft
- Area
- 114 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 16
- Open water
- 223 days
Next lake in Wadena County
Spirit Lake is a 114-acre mesotrophic lake in Wadena County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 45 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 8 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Wadena County, Spirit Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-03. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 15.4 ft down. Phosphorus level: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15.4 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 13 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Spirit Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Spirit Lake in Wadena 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
Spirit Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 61°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 63°F) and coldest in Apr (about 44°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 622 field readings (2010–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Spirit Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 45 ft |
| Surface Area | 114 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 1.8 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 57% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Spirit LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Spirit Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-06-21 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 30.09 | 0.72 lb |
| Bluegill | 17.52 | 0.18 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.35 | 1.52 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 6.23 | 0.49 lb |
| Black Crappie | 6.20 | 0.26 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.61 | 0.13 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
Northern Pike
Yellow Bass
From the 2022-06-21 survey
Spirit Lake is located in Menahga in northern Wadena County. Spirit has a surface area of 114 acres and a maximum depth of 45 feet. A city owned public access is located on the northeast shore of the lake off 1st Street. Spirit provides angling opportunities for Largemouth Bass, panfish and Northern Pike. The…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Spirit Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SpiritFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Spirit (1326)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SpiritPublic 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 | +0.113 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.44 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.31 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (53 observations).
Estimated open water season: 223 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-24 (2012) | 2013-05-09 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 1991-11-04 (1991) | 2016-12-08 (2016) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-14
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Spirit Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- MenahgaMenahga · 1.2 mi away · NPDES MN0056880
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 3 lakes in Wadena County
Nearby Lakes in Wadena County
Frequently asked questions about Spirit Lake
What is the water quality grade for Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake in Wadena County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 113.9 acres.
Is Spirit Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Spirit Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in August, from 622 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet. The lake covers 113.9 acres.
What fish are in Spirit Lake?
- Fish species found in Spirit Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Spirit Lake is located in Wadena County, Minnesota.
When does Spirit Lake thaw?
- Spirit Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 16. Ice typically forms around Nov 25. The open water season is approximately 223 days.
Are there boat ramps on Spirit Lake?
- Spirit Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Spirit Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Spirit Lake across LakeGrade
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Fish species and best lakes in Wadena County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
87 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
MNPCA87 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent 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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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