US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsSurface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 80305967).
The red circle marks Spanish Lake.
Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Missouri: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).
Official MDC pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.
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.
Fish species the Missouri Department of Conservation lists for fishing here: White Bass, Sunfish, Catfish, Crappie, Black Bass.
Source: Missouri Department of Conservation page for Spanish Lake (St. Louis County) (fish listed under Fishing; for areas with several lakes the list covers the whole area) and the MDC managed public waterbodies map. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.
Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.
Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 80305967), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: MDC managed boat ramps and accesses. Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
OpenStreetMap shows about 1.8 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 70 m (230 ft) of the Spanish Lake shoreline. Together the trails go all or nearly all the way around Spanish Lake, staying close to the water.
No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Spanish Lake (St. Louis County), 200 ft from a shoreline trail (Missouri Dept. of Conservation 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 70 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.
We found 3 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Spanish Lake. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.
All campgrounds & RV parks in Missouri
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.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (38.7960, -90.2038). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Spanish Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.
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.
1 public access site listed, 1 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.
| Site | Town | Owner | Type | Parking | Fee | Uses | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spanish Lake (St. Louis County) | West Alton | Missouri Department of Conservation | Boat ramp · Yes ramp | — | No fee | Boating | 38.7972, -90.2054 |
MDC managed boat ramps and accesses
Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.
Spanish Lake covers about 31 acres in West Alton, Missouri (St. Louis County).
Missouri Department of Conservation lists White Bass, Black Bass, Crappie, Catfish and Sunfish.
Yes. 1 public trailer launch is listed: Spanish Lake (St. Louis County). Check posted fees and parking rules.
Yes. We list 3 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles.
Spanish Lake touches West Alton in St. Louis County, Missouri.
Know Spanish 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).
Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Missouri lakes & ponds · All waters in West Alton