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Upper Red Lake

Shotley · Upper Red Lake · Lower Red Lake · Waskish, Minnesota — Beltrami County.

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119,323Surface acres
4Public access sites
1.6 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 105567402).

Location & fast facts

Where Upper Red Lake is in Minnesota

The red circle marks Upper Red Lake.

Fast facts

About Upper Red Lake

  • County: Beltrami
  • Shore towns: Shotley, Upper Red Lake, Lower Red Lake, Waskish
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 230 mi from Minneapolis and 156 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)
  • Walking. 1.6 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 2 campgrounds within 15 mi, 1 on the shore (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Zebra mussel and Starry stonewort 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.

Lake map

Upper Red Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Rogers' on RED (campground)Boat ramp (Boat launch)1Boat ramp (Boat launch)2Boat ramp (Boat launch)3Boat ramp (Boat launch)41 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchShoreline trail Campground
  1. 1Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Lower Red Lake
  2. 2Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Waskish
  3. 3Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Waskish
  4. 4Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Upper Red Lake

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 105567402), 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

1.6 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 5%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
East and west shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 1.6 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Upper Red Lake shoreline, mostly along the east and west shores.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Boat ramp, 50 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 Upper Red Lake

We found 2 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Upper Red Lake. 1 is right on the shore. 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 (48.1334, -94.7843). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Upper Red 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 Upper Red 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
    Boat rampLower Red Lake—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating48.0732, -94.9996
    Boat rampWaskish—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating48.1590, -94.5161
    Boat rampWaskish—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating48.1963, -94.5309
    Boat rampUpper Red Lake—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating48.2054, -94.5734

    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 Upper Red 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 Upper Red Lake

    How big is Upper Red Lake?

    Upper Red Lake covers about 119,323 acres in Shotley, Upper Red Lake, Lower Red Lake and Waskish, Minnesota (Beltrami County).

    Is there a public boat launch on Upper Red Lake?

    Yes. 4 public trailer launches are listed: Boat ramp, Boat ramp and Boat ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Upper Red Lake?

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

    What towns are on Upper Red Lake?

    Upper Red Lake touches Shotley, Upper Red Lake, Lower Red Lake and Waskish in Beltrami County, Minnesota.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Upper Red 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 Shotley