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Lura Lake

Sterling · Mapleton · Delavan, Minnesota — Blue Earth County.

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1,289Surface acres
4Public access sites
0.6 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 32672239).

Location & fast facts

Where Lura Lake is in Minnesota

The red circle marks Lura Lake.

Fast facts

About Lura Lake

  • Counties: Blue Earth, Faribault
  • Shore towns: Sterling, Mapleton, Delavan
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 85 mi from Minneapolis and 222 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. 4 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Fishing. Walleye, Northern pike, Largemouth bass and Black crappie
  • Walking. 0.6 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 2 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Eurasian watermilfoil and Curly-leaf pondweed 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.

Official lake survey (Minnesota DNR)

9 ftMaximum depth
5 ftAverage depth
1,359Acres (state figure)

Fish species found in Minnesota DNR lake surveys: Bigmouth buffalo, Black bullhead, Black crappie, Bluegill, Channel catfish, Common carp, Green sunfish, Hybrid sunfish, Largemouth bass, Northern pike, Sunfish, Walleye, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch.

Shallow (littoral) area: 1,359 of 1,359 acres

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources LakeFinder record for Lura Lake (DOW 07007900), with lake survey reports, depth maps and stocking history. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

Lake map

Lura Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Lura Lake (E) Public Water Access Site (Boat launch)1Lura Lake (NW) Public Water Access Site (Boat launch)2Lura Lake, Daly Park Public Water Access Site (Boat launch)3Lura Lake, Lura Lake Sports Club Lodge Public Water Access Site (Boat launch)41 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchShoreline trail
  1. 1Lura Lake (E) Public Water Access Site
    Boat launch · Sterling
  2. 2Lura Lake (NW) Public Water Access Site
    Boat launch · Sterling
  3. 3Lura Lake, Daly Park Public Water Access Site
    Boat launch · Sterling
  4. 4Lura Lake, Lura Lake Sports Club Lodge Public Water Access Site
    Boat launch · Sterling

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 32672239), 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

0.6 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 10%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
East shoreWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 0.6 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Lura Lake shoreline, mostly along the east shore.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Lura Lake, Daly Park Public Water Access Site, 0.1 mi 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 Lura Lake

We found 2 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Lura 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 (43.8668, -94.0232). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Lura 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 Lura 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

    4 public access sites listed, 4 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Lura Lake (E) Public Water Access SiteSterlingBlue Earth CountyTrailer launch · Concrete slab ramp · dock24 trailer—Fishing, Boating
    Restroom
    43.8721, -93.9990
    Lura Lake (NW) Public Water Access SiteSterlingDNR Division of Parks and TrailsTrailer launch · Concrete slab ramp · dock10 trailer, 4 car—Fishing, Boating43.8827, -94.0260
    Lura Lake, Daly Park Public Water Access SiteSterlingBlue Earth CountyTrailer launch · Concrete slab ramp · dock8 trailer—Fishing, Boating
    Restroom
    43.8714, -94.0088
    Lura Lake, Lura Lake Sports Club Lodge Public Water Access SiteSterlingBlue Earth CountyTrailer launch · Concrete slab ramp · dock11 trailer, 8 car—Fishing, Boating43.8482, -94.0501

    Minnesota DNR public water access sites (Minnesota Geospatial Commons)

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

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Lura 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 Lura Lake

    How big is Lura Lake?

    Lura Lake covers about 1,289 acres in Sterling, Mapleton and Delavan, Minnesota (Blue Earth County).

    How deep is Lura Lake?

    The maximum recorded depth is 9 feet and the mean depth is 5 feet, according to the Minnesota DNR LakeFinder.

    What fish are in Lura Lake?

    Minnesota DNR LakeFinder lists Walleye, Northern pike, Largemouth bass, Black crappie, Bluegill, Yellow perch, Channel catfish, Bigmouth buffalo, Black bullhead and Common carp and 4 more.

    Is there a public boat launch on Lura Lake?

    Yes. 4 public trailer launches are listed: Lura Lake (E) Public Water Access Site, Lura Lake, Daly Park Public Water Access Site and Lura Lake, Lura Lake Sports Club Lodge Public Water Access Site. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Lura Lake?

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

    What towns are on Lura Lake?

    Lura Lake touches Sterling, Mapleton and Delavan in Blue Earth County and Faribault County, Minnesota.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Lura 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 Sterling