Garden Island State Recreation Area
Garden Island State Recreation Area is a state recreation area in Lake of the Woods County. It was established in 1998. 4 graded lakes are within 15 miles of the park, including Big Traverse Bay Lake, Low: Mpca Co-Located Site Lake, Lake of the Woods.
Garden Island State Recreation Area is a Minnesota State Recreation Area — a public-land designation focused on recreation rather than ecological preservation. 181,375 acres are protected. 4 graded lakes are within easy reach of the park, with an average grade of C. Big Traverse Bay Lake (C) is the cleanest of the set.
Reading the per-lake LakeGrade alongside the park designation gives a fuller picture than either alone: the park tells you what land is protected, the grade tells you what condition the water in that protected area is in.
Official Resources
Nearby Graded Lakes (within 15 mi)
Lakes closest to Garden Island State Recreation Area, weighted by size. Click a lake for its full water quality grade, fish species, and depth.
| Lake | County | Grade | Surface Area | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Traverse Bay Lake | Lake of the Woods | C | - | 1.4 mi |
| Low: Mpca Co-Located Site Lake | Lake of the Woods | C | - | 11.1 mi |
| Lake of the Woods | Lake of the Woods | C | - | 12.4 mi |
| Lake of the Woods | Lake of the Woods | C | - | 13.8 mi |
Other Parks in the Area
- Zippel Bay State Park— State Park, 21.7 mi
- Hayes Lake State Park— State Park, 48.3 mi
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.