Lakes / Minnesota / Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods, Minnesota
725,583 acres
Surface Area
210 ft
Max Depth
3,299.49 mi
Shoreline
1,061 ft
Surface Elevation
Where It Sits, and How Deep It Goes
Locator - Minnesota
49.30 degrees N, 94.68 degrees W - Lake of the Woods 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 - Lake of the Woods
Schematic cross-section drawn to one shared depth scale - not a survey or bathymetric map.
How Lake of the Woods Stacks Up
- The largest lake counted in Minnesota by surface area - 725,583 acres.
- About 205 miles from Brainerd, as the crow flies.
- 27 fish species on the DNR list for this lake.
Fish Species
WalleyeNorthern PikeMuskellungeSmallmouth BassBlack CrappieYellow PerchLake WhitefishCiscoLake SturgeonBurbotRock BassSaugerCommon ShinerEmerald ShinerGolden ShinerJohnny DarterLogperchMooneyeQuillbackRainbow SmeltRiver DarterRiver ShinerShorthead RedhorseSilver RedhorseSpottail ShinerTrout-PerchWhite Sucker
Species recorded for this lake. Presence only - no abundance ratings.
Facts and Figures
Lake ID (DOW)39000200
CountyLake of the Woods
Average Water Clarity4.3 ft
Coordinates49.3046, -94.6771
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 39000200); USGS. Verified October 30, 2026.