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East Side Lake

Austin, Minnesota — Mower County.

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40Surface acres
1Public access sites
1.4 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 159238597).

Location & fast facts

Where East Side Lake is in Minnesota

The red circle marks East Side Lake.

Fast facts

About East Side Lake

  • County: Mower
  • Town: Austin
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 92 mi from Minneapolis and 219 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)
  • Fishing. Walleye, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass and Black crappie
  • Walking. 1.4 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 4 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Chinese mysterysnail recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • 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.

Official lake survey (Minnesota DNR)

10 ftMaximum depth
40Acres (state figure)

Fish species found in Minnesota DNR lake surveys: Black crappie, Bluegill, Green sunfish, Hybrid sunfish, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Walleye, White crappie.

Average depth not published.

Shallow (littoral) area: 40 of 40 acres

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources LakeFinder record for East Side Lake (DOW 50000200), with lake survey reports, depth maps and stocking history. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

Lake map

East Side Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

East Side Lake Public Water Access Site (Boat launch)1¼ mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchShoreline trail
  1. 1East Side Lake Public Water Access Site
    Boat launch · Austin

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 159238597), 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

1.4 miTrail within 80 m of shore
About 75%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
East and south shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 1.4 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 80 m (260 ft) of the East Side Lake shoreline, mostly along the east and south shores. They follow about 75% of the shore, so you can walk most of the way around but not a full loop.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is East Side Lake Public Water Access Site, 150 ft from a shoreline trail (Minnesota DNR water access data).

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 80 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near East Side Lake

We found 4 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of East Side Lake. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

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 (43.6704, -92.9535). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for East Side Lake. 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 East Side Lake

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
    East Side Lake Public Water Access SiteAustinCity of AustinTrailer launch · Concrete slab ramp · dock——Fishing, Boating43.6716, -92.9511

    Minnesota DNR public water access sites (Minnesota Geospatial Commons)

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

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near East Side Lake

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    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.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about East Side Lake

    How big is East Side Lake?

    East Side Lake covers about 40 acres in Austin, Minnesota (Mower County).

    How deep is East Side Lake?

    The maximum recorded depth is 10 feet, according to the Minnesota DNR LakeFinder.

    What fish are in East Side Lake?

    Minnesota DNR LakeFinder lists Walleye, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Black crappie, White crappie, Bluegill, Green sunfish and Hybrid sunfish.

    Is there a public boat launch on East Side Lake?

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

    Are there campgrounds near East Side Lake?

    Yes. We list 4 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles.

    What towns are on East Side Lake?

    East Side Lake touches Austin in Mower County, Minnesota.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know East Side 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).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

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