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Loon Lake

Turner · Balsam, Minnesota — Aitkin County.

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33Surface acres
1Public access sites
1.4 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 80005887).

Location & fast facts

Where Loon Lake is in Minnesota

The red circle marks Loon Lake.

Fast facts

About Loon Lake

  • County: Aitkin
  • Shore towns: Turner, Balsam
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 128 mi from Minneapolis and 52 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. Rainbow trout, Brown trout and White sucker
  • Walking. 1.4 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 7 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • 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)

21 ftMaximum depth
34Acres (state figure)

Fish species found in Minnesota DNR lake surveys: Brown trout, Rainbow trout, White sucker.

Average depth not published.

Shallow (littoral) area: 22 of 34 acres

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources LakeFinder record for Loon Lake (DOW 01002400), with lake survey reports, depth maps and stocking history. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

Lake map

Loon Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Loon Lake Public Water Access Site (Boat launch)10.1 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchShoreline trail
  1. 1Loon Lake Public Water Access Site
    Boat launch · Turner

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 80005887), 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 70 m of shore
About 100%Of the shoreline
YesLoops the whole lake

OpenStreetMap shows about 1.4 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 70 m (230 ft) of the Loon Lake shoreline. Together the trails go all or nearly all the way around Loon Lake, staying close to the water.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Loon Lake Public Water Access Site, right on 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 70 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near Loon Lake

We found 7 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Loon Lake, 2 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

1 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 (46.8254, -93.1910). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Loon 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 Loon 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
    Loon Lake Public Water Access SiteTurnerDNR Division of Parks and TrailsTrailer launch · Concrete slab ramp · dock10 trailer—Fishing, Boating
    Restroom
    46.8244, -93.1898

    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 Loon Lake

    How big is Loon Lake?

    Loon Lake covers about 33 acres in Turner and Balsam, Minnesota (Aitkin County).

    How deep is Loon Lake?

    The maximum recorded depth is 21 feet, according to the Minnesota DNR LakeFinder.

    What fish are in Loon Lake?

    Minnesota DNR LakeFinder lists Rainbow trout, Brown trout and White sucker.

    Is there a public boat launch on Loon Lake?

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

    Are there campgrounds near Loon Lake?

    Yes. We list 7 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 2 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Loon Lake?

    Loon Lake touches Turner and Balsam in Aitkin County, Minnesota.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Loon 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 Turner