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: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 178.71 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.6 ft
- Max depth
- 10 ft
- Area
- 179 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, no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Sampling here has recorded water clarity, 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 179-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake supports 7 documented fish species including bluegill, hybrid sunfish, and northern pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2022-06-21. 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.
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 6.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 49.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 20 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 6.3 µg/L | Not graded |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 49 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 179 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 100% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Oak Narrows (Timbuktu Marina)Public
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Wolf Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-07-18 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 12.08 | 0.34 lb |
| Bluegill | 9.00 | 0.31 lb |
| Walleye | 8.09 | 1.42 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.08 | 3.01 lb |
| White Sucker | 3.08 | 3.51 lb |
| Smallmouth Bass | 0.83 | 1.72 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.
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
Walleye
Northern Pike
From the 2016-07-18 survey
Wolf Lake is a 179 acre lake located 11 miles northwest of Tower. The public access is via a 3/4 mile long portage from Wolf Bay on Lake Vermilion to the northwest corner of Wolf Lake. The entire portage is on US Forest Service owned property and open to public use. Wolf Lake is surrounded by public land with one…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wolf Lake. 1 report 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
EPA Impairment Status
Wolf Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN69-0582-00 · Official waterbody report
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: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 6.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 10 ft. Surface area: 178.71 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. Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 6.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Wolf Lake?
- Wolf Lake has a maximum depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 178.71 acres.
What fish are in Wolf Lake?
- Fish species found in Wolf Lake include bluegill, hybrid sunfish, northern pike, smallmouth bass, 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 Oak Narrows (Timbuktu Marina). Public access is listed as yes.
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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
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
- 2120 B ~ Color in Water by Visual Comparison
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