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Gilfillin Lake

Jamestown · Le Ray, Minnesota — Blue Earth County.

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220Surface acres
1Public access sites
0.2 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 91574547).

Location & fast facts

Where Gilfillin Lake is in Minnesota

The red circle marks Gilfillin Lake.

Fast facts

About Gilfillin Lake

  • County: Blue Earth
  • Shore towns: Jamestown, Le Ray
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 61 mi from Minneapolis and 198 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

  • Paddling. 1 public access site, no trailer ramp listed
  • Walking. 0.2 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 18 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • 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

Gilfillin Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Gilfillin Lake Public Water Access Site (Cartop / walk-in)1¼ mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Cartop / walk-inShoreline trail
  1. 1Gilfillin Lake Public Water Access Site
    Cartop / walk-in · Jamestown

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 91574547), 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
About 10%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
East shoreWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 0.2 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Gilfillin Lake shoreline, mostly along the east 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 Gilfillin Lake

We found 18 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Gilfillin Lake, 6 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

12 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 (44.1992, -93.8475). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Gilfillin 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 Gilfillin 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.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Gilfillin Lake Public Water Access SiteJamestownDNR Division of Fish and WildlifeCarry-in (hand launch)2 trailer, 4 car—Fishing, Boating44.1941, -93.8483

    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 Gilfillin Lake

    How big is Gilfillin Lake?

    Gilfillin Lake covers about 220 acres in Jamestown and Le Ray, Minnesota (Blue Earth County).

    Is there a public boat launch on Gilfillin Lake?

    No trailer ramp is listed, but there is 1 public access site for car-top boats or shore access.

    Are there campgrounds near Gilfillin Lake?

    Yes. We list 18 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 6 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Gilfillin Lake?

    Gilfillin Lake touches Jamestown and Le Ray in Blue Earth County, Minnesota.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Gilfillin 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 Jamestown