Upper Red Lake
Beltrami County, Minnesota119,294 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Upper Red Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 15 ft max depth
Upper Red Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 41 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 119294.35 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 1, 2025 caught 50.85 walleye per gill net at Upper Red Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 1–21 inches. DNR survey details →
Upper Red Lake is a 119,294-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 15 feet (12-foot average). Phosphorus level is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and burbot. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Beltrami County, Upper Red Lake ranks #85 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2026-05-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 119,000 acres, Upper Red Lake is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. The median ice-out date is April 29, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Upper Red Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Upper Red Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing15 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 29
- Big water119,294 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyElevated nutrients
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. Upper Red Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Upper Red 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 Upper Red Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Upper Red Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Phosphorus 41 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 13.2 µg/L. TSI 60.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 41µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 13.2µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 60 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Upper Red Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Upper Red Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in Jan (about 32°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (32°F) to its warmest (73°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 150 field readings (2011–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Upper Red Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 1, 2025 caught 50.85 walleye per gill net at Upper Red Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 1–21 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Upper Red Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
34 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-01 (Standard Survey).
34 surveys on file · most recent 2025-07-01 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | 30.75 | 1–21 in 2025-07-01 | 1.07 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 22.12 | 1–11 in 2025-07-01 | 0.26 lb |
| Black Crappie | 1.73 | 1–13 in 2025-07-01 | 0.79 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.57 | 14–34 in 2025-07-01 | 3.33 lb |
| Freshwater Drum | 1.24 | 12–17 in 2025-07-01 | 1.2 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.
Walleye
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
Northern Pike
From the 2025-07-01 survey
Upper Red Lake is a 120,000 acre lake, 60% (72,000 acres) of which is under the jurisdiction of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians (Red Lake Band). The remaining 40% (48,000 acres) falls under the jurisdiction of the State of Minnesota. Walleye, the primary species sought by anglers, is managed under a cooperative…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Upper Red Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Red (Upper Red)Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Red (Upper Red)Fish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
15 ft
Average depth
12 ft
Surface area
119,294 acres
Shoreline
59.2 mi
Littoral zone
40%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
No
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Upper Red Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Upper Red Lake in Beltrami 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Upper Red Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Upper Red 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 Upper Red Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Stable
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-2.46 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.66 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 29
Earliest Mar 27, 2012 · Latest May 15, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 22
Earliest Nov 12, 2019 · Latest Dec 16, 2016
Most recent ice-out
Apr 29
2025
23 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Upper Red 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 MN04-0035-01 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Upper Red Lake
Where is Upper Red Lake?
- Upper Red Lake is a lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Upper Red Lake?
- Upper Red Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 41 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 13.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 119294.35 acres.
Is Upper Red Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Upper Red 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 Upper Red Lake?
- Upper Red Lake typically sits around 52°F at the surface in October, from 150 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Upper Red Lake?
- Upper Red Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet and an average depth of 12 feet. The lake covers 119294.35 acres.
What fish are in Upper Red Lake?
- Fish species found in Upper Red Lake include black crappie, bluegill, burbot, freshwater drum, goldeye, lake sturgeon, lake whitefish, northern pike, quillback, redhorse, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Upper Red Lake is located in Beltrami County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Upper Red Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 1, 2025 caught 50.85 walleye per gill net at Upper Red Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 1–21 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Upper Red Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Upper Red Lake thaw?
- Upper Red Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 29. Ice typically forms around Nov 22. The open water season is approximately 207 days.
Can I fish at Upper Red Lake?
- Public access to Upper Red Lake is listed as no on the lake record, so confirm before you make the trip. 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 Upper Red Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Beltrami County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
319 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Red Lake DNR
REDLAKE_WQX319 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 4500 P F ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry Automated Ascorbic Acid Method
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate