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Minnesota › Cook County › West Cook › Jay Lake

Jay Lake

West Cook, Minnesota — Cook County.

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55Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 80997397).

Location & fast facts

Where Jay Lake is in Minnesota

The red circle marks Jay Lake.

Fast facts

About Jay Lake

  • County: Cook
  • Town: West Cook
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 240 mi from Minneapolis and 104 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

  • Camping. 25 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

Jay Lake shoreline

0.1 mileN

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 80997397), 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.

Campgrounds near Jay Lake

We found 25 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Jay Lake. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

14 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: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · 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 (47.9935, -90.7595). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Jay 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 Jay 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.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Jay Lake

    How big is Jay Lake?

    Jay Lake covers about 55 acres in West Cook, Minnesota (Cook County).

    Are there campgrounds near Jay Lake?

    Yes. We list 25 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles.

    What towns are on Jay Lake?

    Jay Lake touches West Cook in Cook County, Minnesota.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Jay 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 West Cook