US lakes & ponds
Minnesota › Lake County › Beaver Bay › Johnson Lake

Johnson Lake

Beaver Bay · Crystal Bay, Minnesota — Lake County.

Share:TextEmailFacebookX
31Surface acres
0.3 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 114545931).

Location & fast facts

Where Johnson Lake is in Minnesota

The red circle marks Johnson Lake.

Fast facts

About Johnson Lake

  • County: Lake
  • Shore towns: Beaver Bay, Crystal Bay
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 193 mi from Minneapolis and 59 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

  • Fishing. Walleye, Smallmouth bass, Yellow perch and White sucker
  • Swimming. 1 public beach or swim spot on the map (details)
  • Walking. 0.3 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 45 campgrounds within 15 mi, 2 on the shore (list)

Watch for

  • No lifeguard listed. None of our sources lists a staffed lifeguard. Swim at your own risk and watch children closely.
  • 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)

24 ftMaximum depth
36Acres (state figure)

Fish species found in Minnesota DNR lake surveys: Smallmouth bass, Walleye, White sucker, Yellow perch.

Average depth not published.

Shallow (littoral) area: 21 of 36 acres

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources LakeFinder record for Johnson Lake (DOW 38024200), with lake survey reports, depth maps and stocking history. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

Lake map

Johnson Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Beach (unnamed on OpenStreetMap) (Beach)10.1 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

BeachShoreline trail
  1. 1Beach (unnamed on OpenStreetMap)
    Beach

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 114545931), 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

0.3 miTrail within 70 m of shore
About 30%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
North and west shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 0.3 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 70 m (230 ft) of the Johnson Lake shoreline, mostly along the north and west shores.

Trails along the shore

Trailheads & parking

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 70 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near Johnson Lake

We found 45 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Johnson Lake, 14 of them within 5 miles. 2 are right on the shore. 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 (47.3759, -91.1915). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Johnson 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 Johnson 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.

    Public beaches

    On OpenStreetMap: 1 beach or swimming spot on the shore of Johnson Lake not marked private, residents-only or members-only.

    BeachTypeAccessDirections
    Beach (unnamed on OpenStreetMap)Swimming spotAccess not tagged; check posted rulesGet directions

    Beaches: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), within about 150 m (500 ft) of the lake outline. A mapped beach is not a guarantee that swimming is allowed, supervised or safe; some town beaches need a resident sticker even when the map doesn't say so. Check posted rules and water-quality advisories before you swim.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Johnson Lake

    How big is Johnson Lake?

    Johnson Lake covers about 31 acres in Beaver Bay and Crystal Bay, Minnesota (Lake County).

    How deep is Johnson Lake?

    The maximum recorded depth is 24 feet, according to the Minnesota DNR LakeFinder.

    What fish are in Johnson Lake?

    Minnesota DNR LakeFinder lists Walleye, Smallmouth bass, Yellow perch and White sucker.

    Can you swim in Johnson Lake?

    OpenStreetMap shows 1 public beach or swimming spot on the shore. None of our sources lists a lifeguard, so swim at your own risk and follow posted rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Johnson Lake?

    Yes. We list 45 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 14 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Johnson Lake?

    Johnson Lake touches Beaver Bay and Crystal Bay in Lake County, Minnesota.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Johnson 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 Beaver Bay