Whitefish Lake
Flathead County, MontanaView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- #5 of 44 in the county
- Public access
Whitefish Lake in Flathead County, Montana has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 22 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 2.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 0.9 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 22 ft
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 2.8 µg/L
- Chlorophyll-a
- 0.9 µg/L
- Trend
- → Stable
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Whitefish Lake
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Watch Whitefish Lake’s letter
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Whitefish Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Flathead County, Montana. Water quality is graded A based on 3 sampling years through 2024. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 43 other monitored lakes in Flathead County, Whitefish Lake ranks #5 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Montana DEQ, last sampled 2024-12-04. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Whitefish Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water22 ft of visibility
- Boat launch3 documented ramps
- Camping1 public campground nearby
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.
The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Whitefish Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 22 ft down. Phosphorus 2.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 0.9 µg/L. TSI 27. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 22 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 2.8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 0.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 27 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Recreation & Access
- Baypoint DrivePublic
- Whitefish Lake State ParkPublic
- Roadhouse LandingPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Whitefish Lake
- Whitefish Lake State Park campground1.1 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Fishing Whitefish Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 13 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.637 m/yr | 8 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.02 µg/L/yr | 13 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.07 µg/L/yr | 12 |
EPA Impairment Status
Whitefish Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2021 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MT76P004_010 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #5 of 44 lakes in Flathead County
Nearby Lakes in Flathead County
Frequently asked questions about Whitefish Lake
Where is Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish Lake is a lake in Flathead County, Montana. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish Lake in Flathead County, Montana has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 22 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 2.8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 0.9 µg/L.
Is Whitefish Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Whitefish Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for mercury, pCBs. Check local advisories before you swim.
Are there boat ramps on Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Baypoint Drive, Whitefish Lake State Park, Roadhouse Landing. Public access is listed as yes.
Are there campgrounds on Whitefish Lake?
- Whitefish Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Whitefish Lake State Park campground. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Whitefish Lake across LakeQuality
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Montana's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Montana's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Glacier?
Whitefish Lake is about 31 miles from Glacier National Park. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Glacier →More Montana Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Montana
Oligotrophic Lakes in Montana
Where this data comes from
325 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2012–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Montana Watershed
MTWTRSHD_WQX325 samples · 2012–2024
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
- 4500 N C ~ Persufate Method for Total Nitrogen
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles