Lakes / Minnesota / Canisteo Pit
Canisteo Pit, Minnesota
1,458 acres
Surface Area
311 ft
Max Depth
80.5 ft
Average Depth
17.97 mi
Shoreline
1,311 ft
Surface Elevation
Where It Sits, and How Deep It Goes
Locator - Minnesota
47.31 degrees N, 93.42 degrees W - Itasca County. State and county outlines drawn from Census boundary data; the lake marker is placed by its Minnesota DNR coordinates, not by eye. Schematic - not a survey map.
Depth Profile - Canisteo Pit
Schematic cross-section drawn to one shared depth scale - not a survey or bathymetric map.
How Canisteo Pit Stacks Up
- Ranks #7 for depth among the 3685 natural lakes counted in Minnesota so far.
- Its average depth of 80.5 ft is more than 8 times a typical shallow Minnesota lake, which averages under 10 ft.
- About 72 miles from Duluth, as the crow flies.
- 9 fish species on the DNR list for this lake.
Fish Species
Northern PikeSmallmouth BassLargemouth BassBluegillYellow PerchLake TroutCiscoRock BassWhite Sucker
Species recorded for this lake. Presence only - no abundance ratings.
Facts and Figures
Lake ID (DOW)31132504
CountyItasca
Average Water Clarity29 ft
Coordinates47.3095, -93.4163
Deepest Natural Lakes in Minnesota
| # | Lake | County | Surface Area | Max Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mahnomen, Alstead & Arco Mine | Crow Wing | 272 acres | 525 ft |
| 2 | Sabin | St. Louis | 156 acres | 465 ft |
| 3 | Gilbert Pit | St. Louis | 243 acres | 443 ft |
| 4 | Portsmouth Mine | Crow Wing | 149 acres | 395 ft |
| 5 | St James Pit | St. Louis | 124 acres | 381 ft |
Largest Lakes in Minnesota
| # | Lake | County | Surface Area | Max Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake of the Woods | Lake of the Woods | 725,583 acres | 210 ft |
| 2 | Rainy | St. Louis | 210,200 acres | 161 ft |
| 3 | Mille Lacs | Mille Lacs | 128,250 acres | 42 ft |
| 4 | Red (Upper Red) | Beltrami | 119,294 acres | 15 ft |
| 5 | Leech | Cass | 103,444 acres | 150 ft |
Sources: Minnesota DNR lake data (ID 31132504); USGS. Verified October 30, 2026.