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Rock Lake

St. John, Washington — Whitman County.

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2,190Surface acres
1Public access sites
1.4 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 43861656).

Location & fast facts

Where Rock Lake is in Washington

The red circle marks Rock Lake.

Fast facts

About Rock Lake

  • County: Whitman
  • Nearest city: St. John (about 4.6 mi from the lake)
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 1988 mi from Pensacola and 2067 mi from Panama City, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Washington: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Washington

Official WDFW 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, Steelhead and Brown trout
  • Swimming. 1 public beach or swim spot on the map (details)
  • Walking. 1.4 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 2 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. 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.
  • 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 stocking data (Washington WDFW)

Stocked by the state: Brown trout, Rainbow trout, Steelhead (2015–2026, 12 years; 5,440,214 fish in all, fry included)

Source: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, WDFW Fish Plants data on data.wa.gov (releases into Rock Lake, Whitman County, since 2015). See WDFW trout stocking reports. These are stocking records, not a full fish survey; other species also live here.

Lake map

Rock Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Rock Lake Water Access Site (Boat launch)1Johnsons Beach (Beach)21 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchBeachShoreline trail
  1. 1Rock Lake Water Access Site
    Boat launch · St. John
  2. 2Johnsons Beach
    Beach

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 43861656), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: WDFW water access sites. Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

1.4 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 5%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
North and south shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 1.4 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Rock Lake shoreline, mostly along the north and south shores.

Trails along the shore

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 Rock Lake

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

All campgrounds & RV parks in Washington

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 (47.1796, -117.6841). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Rock 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 Rock 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 PT (America/Los_Angeles), 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
    Rock Lake Water Access SiteSt. JohnWDFWBoat ramp · Yes ramp——Boating47.1391, -117.7250

    WDFW water access sites

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

    Public beaches

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

    BeachTypeAccessDirections
    Johnsons BeachBeachAccess 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.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Rock 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 Rock Lake

    How big is Rock Lake?

    Rock Lake covers about 2,190 acres in St. John, Washington (Whitman County).

    What fish are in Rock Lake?

    WDFW fish stocking records lists Rainbow trout, Steelhead and Brown trout.

    Is there a public boat launch on Rock Lake?

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

    Can you swim in Rock 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 Rock Lake?

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

    What towns are on Rock Lake?

    Rock Lake touches St. John in Whitman County, Washington.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Rock 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 Washington lakes & ponds · All waters in St. John