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Boulder Lake Reservoir

Gnesen · Whiteface Reservoir, Minnesota — St. Louis County.

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3,288Surface acres
1Public access sites
0.2 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 120020152).

Location & fast facts

Where Boulder Lake Reservoir is in Minnesota

The red circle marks Boulder Lake Reservoir.

Fast facts

About Boulder Lake Reservoir

  • County: St. Louis
  • Shore towns: Gnesen, Whiteface Reservoir
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 153 mi from Minneapolis and 19 mi from Duluth, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.

Fishing in Minnesota

Official Minnesota DNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 1 public trailer launch listed (see access)
  • Walking. 0.2 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 9 campgrounds within 15 mi, 1 on the shore (list)

Watch for

  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.
  • Cold water. Water stays cold well into late spring and turns cold again in fall. Wear a life jacket when paddling in the shoulder seasons.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Lake map

Boulder Lake Reservoir shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Buzz Ryan Campsites (campground)Boulder Lake Public Water Access Site (Boat launch)11 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchShoreline trail Campground
  1. 1Boulder Lake Public Water Access Site
    Boat launch · Gnesen

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 120020152), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Minnesota DNR public water access sites (Minnesota Geospatial Commons). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

0.2 miTrail within 100 m of shore
Under 5%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
North shoreWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 0.2 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Boulder Lake Reservoir shoreline, mostly along the north shore.

Trails along the shore

The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.

Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 9, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near Boulder Lake Reservoir

We found 9 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Boulder Lake Reservoir, 1 of them within 5 miles. 1 is right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

3 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in Minnesota

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (47.0629, -92.1757). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Boulder Lake Reservoir. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Boulder Lake Reservoir

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in CT (America/Chicago), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    1 public access site listed, 1 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Boulder Lake Public Water Access SiteGnesenMinnesota PowerTrailer launch · Concrete slab ramp15 trailer—Fishing, Boating
    Restroom
    47.0516, -92.1979

    Minnesota DNR public water access sites (Minnesota Geospatial Commons)

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Boulder Lake Reservoir

    How big is Boulder Lake Reservoir?

    Boulder Lake Reservoir covers about 3,288 acres in Gnesen and Whiteface Reservoir, Minnesota (St. Louis County).

    Is there a public boat launch on Boulder Lake Reservoir?

    Yes. 1 public trailer launch is listed: Boulder Lake Public Water Access Site. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Boulder Lake Reservoir?

    Yes. We list 9 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 1 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Boulder Lake Reservoir?

    Boulder Lake Reservoir touches Gnesen and Whiteface Reservoir in St. Louis County, Minnesota.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Boulder Lake Reservoir? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Minnesota lakes & ponds · All waters in Gnesen