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Minnesota › Crow Wing County › Ideal › Lower Whitefish Lake

Lower Whitefish Lake

Ideal · Crosslake, Minnesota — Crow Wing County.

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4,289Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 166867866).

Location & fast facts

Where Lower Whitefish Lake is in Minnesota

The red circle marks Lower Whitefish Lake.

Fast facts

About Lower Whitefish Lake

  • County: Crow Wing
  • Shore towns: Ideal, Crosslake
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 126 mi from Minneapolis and 99 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. 12 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Zebra mussel and Curly-leaf pondweed recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • 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 Whitefish Lake shoreline

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 166867866), 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 Lower Whitefish Lake

We found 12 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Lower Whitefish Lake, 1 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

6 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 (46.6898, -94.1956). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Lower Whitefish 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 Whitefish 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.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Lower Whitefish 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 Whitefish Lake

    How big is Lower Whitefish Lake?

    Lower Whitefish Lake covers about 4,289 acres in Ideal and Crosslake, Minnesota (Crow Wing County).

    Are there campgrounds near Lower Whitefish Lake?

    Yes. We list 12 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 1 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Lower Whitefish Lake?

    Lower Whitefish Lake touches Ideal and Crosslake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Lower Whitefish 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 Ideal