Bad Medicine Lake
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Bad Medicine Lake is mapped to a depth of 80 ft on the Minnesota DNR survey and covers about 745 acres in Becker County, Minnesota. Depths come from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1971.
Measured from the Minnesota DNR lake bathymetric contour survey.
- Deepest mapped contour
- 80 ft
- Survey year
- 1971
- Surface area
- 745 acres
- Shoreline
- 12.1 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 0% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Trailer Launch · Bad Medicine Lake Public Water Access Site · Minnesota DNR site
Additional depth details10 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–80 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 80 ft, 50 ft, 30 ft, 20 ft
Provenance
Sources: MN DNR Lake Bathymetric Contours, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
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Map details & sources4 sources
All layers registered to one bounding box; positions in WGS 84.
Survey-derived depth contours drape over USGS 3DEP elevation, with a USDA NAIP aerial basemap and OpenStreetMap shoreline. Color shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.
- Coordinates
- 47.12382, -95.40406
- MN DNR lake ID
- 03008500
- Vertical exaggeration
- 1.4×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.6 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-25Bad Medicine Lake has a mostly natural, lightly developed setting, moderate open-water exposure, some nearby classified roads.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Very Good | 24.8 of 35 | 76% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (74% forest, 2% wetland; 16% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Good | 9.6 of 29 | mean fetch 2,056 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · moderate open-water fetch |
| Motor & speed rules | Not modeled | — | Minnesota’s lake-by-lake motor, speed and no-wake rules are mostly county and city ordinances, not map data, so they are not part of the Minnesota index. Check local signage and ordinances before going out. |
| Public access | Good | 15.0 of 18 | 1 DNR public access site · boat ramp |
| Road isolation | Good | 10.3 of 18 | some nearby classified roads · 5 MnDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 419 vehicles/day |
Additional paddling considerations
These describe the lake but are not part of the v1 Paddling Index and do not change the number above.
- Wake sensitivity
- Low — wide enough that wakes disperse over most of the lake
- Aquatic vegetation
- Low — approximately 0% mapped coverage · NAIP aerial imagery (NDVI)
- Observed motorized activity
- Unknown — No lake-level measurement of boat traffic is available. Legal permission to operate motors is not evidence of use.
- Wildlife habitat potential
- Moderate — 74% forest and 2% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Minnesota lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from DNR surveys & active stocking11 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).
White Sucker
Hybrid SunfishAbout these fish → the Fish of Minnesota guide
Fishery
surveyed 2022Gamefish Walleye 89 · Northern Pike 45 · Smallmouth Bass 35 · Rainbow Trout 31
Panfish Rock Bass 126 · Yellow Perch 17 · Bluegill 12
All survey species11 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Forage & nongame
DNR stocking
state stocking record · 2016–2025Fish the Minnesota DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.
Infested waters listing
Not on the Minnesota DNR’s infested waters list as of September 9, 2026. This does not mean the lake is free of invasive species: the list covers certain species only, and a species can be present before anyone finds it.
What does the infested waters list mean?
The Minnesota DNR lists a lake, river, pond or wetland as infested when it contains an aquatic invasive species that could spread to other waters, or when it is connected to a water where one is present. Activities such as bait harvest and water use are managed differently on infested waters. Check the current list before moving water, bait or equipment.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. List of Infested Waters, September 9, 2026. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/ais/infested.html
Bad Medicine Lake — common questions
How deep is Bad Medicine Lake?
The deepest contour on the Minnesota DNR bathymetric survey of Bad Medicine Lake is 80 ft. That is the deepest depth the historical survey map records, which may differ from the deepest point of the lake itself.
How big is Bad Medicine Lake?
Bad Medicine Lake covers about 745 acres in Becker County, Minnesota.
What fish are in Bad Medicine Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include burbot, northern pike, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, walleye, bluegill. The page lists all 11 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Bad Medicine Lake?
Yes. The Minnesota DNR lists a public access site on Bad Medicine Lake: a boat ramp with a boat dock and restrooms. It is administered by the DNR Division of Parks and Trails. DNR directions: "11 miles west of Itasca State Park, off MN Highway 113 on the north shore of Bad Medicine Lake."
