Trestle Lake
Trestle Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 111.26 acres.
- Clarity
- 14.8 ft
- Max depth
- 35 ft
- Area
- 111 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Itasca County
Trestle Lake is a 111-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 35 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2020. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Trestle Lake ranks #25 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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)
Good clarity, visible to about 14.8 ft. Phosphorus level: 11.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Trestle Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Trestle Lake in Itasca 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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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 35 ft |
| Surface Area | 111 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 2.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 29% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Holland LakePublic
- Arrowhead LakePublic
- Trestle LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Trestle Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-17 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 23.36 | 0.15 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 13.90 | 1.36 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.52 | 1.96 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 3.32 | 0.13 lb |
| Black Crappie | 3.04 | 0.3 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.96 | 0.21 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
Yellow Perch
From the 2023-07-17 survey
Trestle Lake (also known as Fox Lake) is located 8 miles northwest of Talmoon, MN in the Big Fork River watershed. The mostly undeveloped lake has a surface area of 96 acres and a maximum depth of 35 feet. Secchi disk transparency was 18 feet in the most recent survey. The lake has no inlets and an unnamed,…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Trestle Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — TrestleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Trestle (0691)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — TrestlePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
County Ranking
Ranked #25 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Trestle Lake
What is the water quality grade for Trestle Lake?
- Trestle Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 111.26 acres.
Is Trestle Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Trestle Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Trestle Lake?
- Trestle Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet. The lake covers 111.26 acres.
What fish are in Trestle Lake?
- Fish species found in Trestle Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow perch. Trestle Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Trestle Lake?
- Trestle Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Holland Lake, Arrowhead Lake, Trestle Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Trestle Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory