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Shady Oak Lake

Minnetonka, Minnesota — Hennepin County.

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79Surface acres
1.7 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 120020190).

Location & fast facts

Where Shady Oak Lake is in Minnesota

The red circle marks Shady Oak Lake.

Fast facts

About Shady Oak Lake

  • County: Hennepin
  • Town: Minnetonka
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 9 mi from Minneapolis and 145 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

  • Fishing. Northern pike, Largemouth bass, Black crappie and Bluegill
  • Swimming. 1 public beach or swim spot on the map (details)
  • Walking. 1.7 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 6 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Brittle waternymph recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • 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 lake survey (Minnesota DNR)

35 ftMaximum depth
91Acres (state figure)

Fish species found in Minnesota DNR lake surveys: Black crappie, Bluegill, Brown bullhead, Common carp, Hybrid sunfish, Largemouth bass, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch.

Average depth not published.

Shallow (littoral) area: 56 of 91 acres

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources LakeFinder record for Shady Oak Lake (DOW 27008900), with lake survey reports, depth maps and stocking history. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

Lake map

Shady Oak Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Shady Oak Beach (Beach)1¼ mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

BeachShoreline trail
  1. 1Shady Oak Beach
    Beach

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 120020190), 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

1.7 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 85%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
North, east and west shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 1.7 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Shady Oak Lake shoreline, mostly along the north, east and west shores. They follow about 85% of the shore, so you can walk most of the way around but not a full loop.

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 Shady Oak Lake

We found 6 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Shady Oak 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 (44.9106, -93.4320). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Shady Oak 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 Shady Oak 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.

    Public beaches

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

    BeachTypeAccessDirections
    Shady Oak 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 Shady Oak 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 Shady Oak Lake

    How big is Shady Oak Lake?

    Shady Oak Lake covers about 79 acres in Minnetonka, Minnesota (Hennepin County).

    How deep is Shady Oak Lake?

    The maximum recorded depth is 35 feet, according to the Minnesota DNR LakeFinder.

    What fish are in Shady Oak Lake?

    Minnesota DNR LakeFinder lists Northern pike, Largemouth bass, Black crappie, Bluegill, Yellow perch, Pumpkinseed, Brown bullhead, Common carp, Hybrid sunfish and Yellow bullhead.

    Can you swim in Shady Oak 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 Shady Oak Lake?

    Yes. We list 6 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles.

    What towns are on Shady Oak Lake?

    Shady Oak Lake touches Minnetonka in Hennepin County, Minnesota.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Shady Oak 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 Minnetonka