Wolf Lake
Wolf Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 12 ft. Surface area: 455.63 acres.
- Clarity
- 2 ft
- Typical in August
- 69°F
- Max depth
- 12 ft
- Area
- 456 acres
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in St. Louis County
Why Wolf Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when its monitoring record clears the evidence bar: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Wolf Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by MPCA and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Wolf Lake is a 456-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 12 feet (5-foot average). The lake supports 8 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-10-10. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Wolf Lake
These readings exist but do not meet the evidence bar for an A–F grade — see why.
Very murky, less than 2 ft of visibility. Trophic State Index: 67.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 67 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Where to stay near Wolf Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wolf Lake in St. Louis 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 Wolf Lake
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Water Temperature
Wolf Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 68°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 69°F) and coldest in Oct (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 12 field readings (2022–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Wolf Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 12 ft |
| Average Depth | 5 ft |
| Surface Area | 456 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 10.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Wolf LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Wolf Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-08-13 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 6.47 | 2.12 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.44 | 0.18 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.25 | 0.42 lb |
| Walleye | 1.88 | 2.17 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.27 | 0.2 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.19 | 1.87 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.
White Sucker
Yellow Perch
Black Crappie
Walleye
From the 2018-08-13 survey
Wolf Lake is a shallow, man-made reservoir located 15 miles northwest of Two Harbors, Minnesota. Wolf Lake is 456 acres, has a maximum depth of 12 feet, and is in lake class 12. The lake lies within both the Superior National Forest and the Cloquet Valley State Forest and is accessible by a public access at the south…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wolf Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WolfFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Wolf (1029)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WolfPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Wolf Lake is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Wolf Lake (completed 1941), built primarily for recreation on the Wolf Creek; gravity-type dam, 16 ft tall and 68 ft long.
- Surface area
- 467 ac
- Normal storage
- 2,102 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 3,503 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 32.9 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Low
- Owner
- MNDNR
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00003 · Operator website
EPA Impairment Status
Wolf Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0143-00 · Official waterbody report
Graded lakes near Wolf Lake
Wolf Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Wolf Lake
What is the water quality grade for Wolf Lake?
- Wolf Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 12 ft. Surface area: 455.63 acres.
Is Wolf Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Wolf Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Wolf Lake?
- Wolf Lake typically sits around 69°F at the surface in August, from 12 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Wolf Lake?
- Wolf Lake has a maximum depth of 12 feet and an average depth of 5 feet. The lake covers 455.63 acres.
What fish are in Wolf Lake?
- Fish species found in Wolf Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Wolf Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Wolf Lake?
- Wolf Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Wolf Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Wolf Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
5 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA5 samples · 2022
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory