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Lower Red Lake

Lower Red Lake · Upper Red Lake · North Clearwater, Minnesota — Beltrami County.

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164,696Surface acres
9Public access sites
3.3 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 105567868).

Location & fast facts

Where Lower Red Lake is in Minnesota

The red circle marks Lower Red Lake.

Fast facts

About Lower Red Lake

  • County: Beltrami
  • Shore towns: Lower Red Lake, Upper Red Lake, North Clearwater
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 223 mi from Minneapolis and 159 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. 9 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Walking. 3.3 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 2 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Zebra mussel recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • 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.

Lake map

Lower Red Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Boat ramp (Boat launch)1Boat ramp (Boat launch)2Boat ramp (Boat launch)3Boat ramp (Boat launch)4Boat ramp (Boat launch)5Boat ramp (Boat launch)6Boat ramp (Boat launch)7Boat ramp (Boat launch)8Boat ramp (Boat launch)91 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchShoreline trail
  1. 1Boat ramp
    Boat launch · North Clearwater
  2. 2Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Lower Red Lake
  3. 3Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Lower Red Lake
  4. 4Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Lower Red Lake
  5. 5Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Lower Red Lake
  6. 6Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Lower Red Lake
  7. 7Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Lower Red Lake
  8. 8Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Lower Red Lake
  9. 9Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Lower Red Lake

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 105567868), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Minnesota DNR public water access sites (Minnesota Geospatial Commons) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

3.3 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 5%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
North, east and west shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 3.3 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Lower Red Lake shoreline, mostly along the north, east and west shores.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Boat ramp, 50 ft from 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 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near Lower Red Lake

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

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 (47.9807, -95.0026). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Lower Red 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 Lower Red 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

    9 public access sites listed, 9 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Boat rampNorth Clearwater—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating47.9596, -95.2739
    Boat rampLower Red Lake—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating47.8806, -95.0225
    Boat rampLower Red Lake—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating47.8809, -94.9765
    Boat rampLower Red Lake—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating47.8878, -95.2549
    Boat rampLower Red Lake—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating47.8751, -95.1300
    Boat rampLower Red Lake—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating47.8826, -94.9070
    Boat rampLower Red Lake—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating47.8906, -94.7690
    Boat rampLower Red Lake—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp—No feeBoating48.0744, -95.0006
    Boat rampLower Red Lake—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp—No feeBoating48.0695, -95.0059

    Minnesota DNR public water access sites (Minnesota Geospatial Commons) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Lower Red Lake

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Lower Red Lake

    How big is Lower Red Lake?

    Lower Red Lake covers about 164,696 acres in Lower Red Lake, Upper Red Lake and North Clearwater, Minnesota (Beltrami County).

    Is there a public boat launch on Lower Red Lake?

    Yes. 9 public trailer launches are listed: Boat ramp, Boat ramp and Boat ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Lower Red Lake?

    Yes. We list 2 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles.

    What towns are on Lower Red Lake?

    Lower Red Lake touches Lower Red Lake, Upper Red Lake and North Clearwater in Beltrami County, Minnesota.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Lower Red 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 Lower Red Lake