US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsSurface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 167256815).
The red circle marks Great Northern 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: Bigmouth buffalo, Black bullhead, Black crappie, Bluegill, Bowfin (dogfish), Brown bullhead, Channel catfish, Common carp, Greater redhorse, Green sunfish, Hybrid sunfish, Largemouth bass, Muskellunge, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Shorthead redhorse, Silver redhorse, Smallmouth bass, Walleye, White sucker, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch.
Shallow (littoral) area: 185 of 196 acres
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources LakeFinder record for Great Northern Lake (DOW 73008300), with lake survey reports, depth maps and stocking history. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.
No public access sites are listed for this water in the Minnesota DNR public water access sites (Minnesota Geospatial Commons) data.
Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 167256815), 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 5 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Great Northern Lake. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.
Tent sites
RVs welcome
Electric hookups · Showers · Drinking water
Tent sites · Cabins or yurts
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.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (45.4403, -94.4690). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Great Northern 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.
Great Northern Lake covers about 198 acres in Wakefield and Cold Spring, Minnesota (Stearns County).
The maximum recorded depth is 16 feet and the mean depth is 6 feet, according to the Minnesota DNR LakeFinder.
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder lists Walleye, Muskellunge, Northern pike, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Black crappie, Bluegill, Yellow perch, Channel catfish and Pumpkinseed and 12 more.
Yes. We list 5 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles.
Great Northern Lake touches Wakefield and Cold Spring in Stearns County, Minnesota.
Know Great Northern 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 Wakefield