US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsBowstring · Bowstring Lake · Oteneagen, Minnesota — Itasca County.
Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 120018900).
The red circle marks Bowstring Lake.
Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.
Official Minnesota DNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.
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.
Fish species found in Minnesota DNR lake surveys: Black bullhead, Black crappie, Bluegill, Bowfin (dogfish), Brown bullhead, Burbot, Hybrid sunfish, Largemouth bass, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Rock bass, Shorthead redhorse, Silver redhorse, Tullibee (cisco), Walleye, White sucker, Yellow perch.
Average depth not published.
Shallow (littoral) area: 4,736 of 9,528 acres
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources LakeFinder record for Bowstring Lake (DOW 31081300), with lake survey reports, depth maps and stocking history. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.
Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.
Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 120018900), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Minnesota DNR public water access sites (Minnesota Geospatial Commons). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
We found 27 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Bowstring Lake, 3 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.
Electric hookups · RVs welcome · Tent sites · Drinking water
RVs welcome · Drinking water · Dogs allowed
Dogs allowed
RVs welcome · Drinking water · Dogs allowed
RVs welcome · Drinking water
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: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (47.5363, -93.9047). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Bowstring Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.
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.
3 public access sites listed, 3 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.
| Site | Town | Owner | Type | Parking | Fee | Uses | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowstring Lake (NE) Public Water Access Site | Bowstring | DNR Division of Parks and Trails | Trailer launch · Concrete slab ramp · dock | 24 trailer | — | Fishing, Boating Restroom | 47.5689, -93.8953 |
| Bowstring Lake (NW) Public Water Access Site | Bowstring | U.S. Forest Service | Trailer launch · Concrete slab ramp · dock | 7 trailer | — | Fishing, Boating Restroom | 47.5612, -93.9455 |
| Bowstring Lake (S) Public Water Access Site | Bowstring | DNR Division of Parks and Trails | Trailer launch · Concrete slab ramp · dock | 20 trailer | — | Fishing, Boating Restroom | 47.4972, -93.8946 |
Minnesota DNR public water access sites (Minnesota Geospatial Commons)
Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.
Reported on or near Bowstring Lake
USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database
USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.
Bowstring Lake covers about 9,196 acres in Bowstring, Bowstring Lake and Oteneagen, Minnesota (Itasca County).
The maximum recorded depth is 32 feet, according to the Minnesota DNR LakeFinder.
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder lists Walleye, Northern pike, Largemouth bass, Black crappie, Bluegill, Yellow perch, Tullibee (cisco), Pumpkinseed, Rock bass and Black bullhead and 7 more.
Yes. 3 public trailer launches are listed: Bowstring Lake (S) Public Water Access Site, Bowstring Lake (NE) Public Water Access Site and Bowstring Lake (NW) Public Water Access Site. Check posted fees and parking rules.
Yes. We list 27 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 3 of them within 5 miles.
Bowstring Lake touches Bowstring, Bowstring Lake and Oteneagen in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Know Bowstring Lake? 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).
Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Minnesota lakes & ponds · All waters in Bowstring