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Steamboat Lake

Wilkinson · Hart Lake, Minnesota — Cass County.

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1,761Surface acres
2Public access sites
0.4 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 120018939).

Location & fast facts

Where Steamboat Lake is in Minnesota

The red circle marks Steamboat Lake.

Fast facts

About Steamboat Lake

  • Counties: Cass, Hubbard
  • Shore towns: Wilkinson, Hart Lake
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 171 mi from Minneapolis and 125 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. 2 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Fishing. Walleye, Northern pike, Largemouth bass and Black crappie
  • Walking. 0.4 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 12 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Zebra mussel 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)

93 ftMaximum depth
1,756Acres (state figure)

Fish species found in Minnesota DNR lake surveys: Black bullhead, Black crappie, Bluegill, Bowfin (dogfish), Brown bullhead, Hybrid sunfish, Lake whitefish, Largemouth bass, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Rock bass, Walleye, White sucker, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch.

Average depth not published.

Shallow (littoral) area: 532 of 1,756 acres

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources LakeFinder record for Steamboat Lake (DOW 11050400), with lake survey reports, depth maps and stocking history. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

Lake map

Steamboat Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Boat ramp (Boat launch)1Steamboat Lake Public Water Access Site (Boat launch)21 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchShoreline trail
  1. 1Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Wilkinson
  2. 2Steamboat Lake Public Water Access Site
    Boat launch · Wilkinson

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 120018939), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Minnesota DNR public water access sites (Minnesota Geospatial Commons) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

0.4 miTrail within 100 m of shore
Under 5%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
East shoreWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 0.4 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Steamboat 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 Steamboat Lake Public Water Access Site, 300 ft 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 Steamboat Lake

We found 12 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Steamboat 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 (47.2642, -94.6575). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Steamboat 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 Steamboat 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

    2 public access sites listed, 2 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Boat rampWilkinson—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating47.2753, -94.6418
    Steamboat Lake Public Water Access SiteWilkinsonDNR Division of Parks and TrailsTrailer launch · Concrete slab ramp · dock15 trailer, 2 car—Fishing, Boating47.2718, -94.6291

    Minnesota DNR public water access sites (Minnesota Geospatial Commons) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)

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

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Steamboat 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 Steamboat Lake

    How big is Steamboat Lake?

    Steamboat Lake covers about 1,761 acres in Wilkinson and Hart Lake, Minnesota (Cass County).

    How deep is Steamboat Lake?

    The maximum recorded depth is 93 feet, according to the Minnesota DNR LakeFinder.

    What fish are in Steamboat Lake?

    Minnesota DNR LakeFinder lists Walleye, Northern pike, Largemouth bass, Black crappie, Bluegill, Yellow perch, Lake whitefish, Pumpkinseed, Rock bass and Black bullhead and 5 more.

    Is there a public boat launch on Steamboat Lake?

    Yes. 2 public trailer launches are listed: Steamboat Lake Public Water Access Site and Boat ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Steamboat Lake?

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

    What towns are on Steamboat Lake?

    Steamboat Lake touches Wilkinson and Hart Lake in Cass County and Hubbard County, Minnesota.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Steamboat 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 Wilkinson