Crescent Lake (Minnesota) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Crescent Lake
Crescent Lake Location in Minnesota
Location	Tofte and Lutsen Townships, Cook County, Minnesota, US
Coordinates	47°49′30″N 90°45′37″W / 47.82500°N 90.76028°W / 47.82500; -90.76028
Primary inflows	Willow Creek, Bouder Lake, Lichen Lake
Primary outflows	Poplar Creek
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	774 acres (3 km2)
Max. depth	28 ft (9 m)
Surface elevation	1,791 ft (546 m)

Crescent Lake is a beautiful lake located in Cook County, Minnesota, in the United States. It's found within Tofte and Lutsen Townships. This lake is known for its clear waters and is a popular spot for fishing and camping. It's also close to the famous Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

Exploring Crescent Lake's Location

Crescent Lake is situated just south of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). The BWCA is a huge wilderness area where you can canoe and camp. Forest Route 170 runs along the lake.

How Water Flows In and Out

Water flows into Crescent Lake from a few places.

• Kinogami Lake sends water through Willow Creek.
• Willow Creek flows through the Willow Creek Unit. This is a special "roadless area" of 1,360 acres. It means there are no roads built there.
• To the east, Crescent Lake connects to Bouder Lake through a shallow channel. You can still navigate a boat through it.
• The lake also gets water from Lichen Lake.

Water leaves Crescent Lake to the south. It flows through several small lakes into Rice Lake. Rice Lake then drains into the Poplar River. Finally, the Poplar River empties into the huge Lake Superior.

Lake Size and Depth

Crescent Lake covers an area of 744 acres. A big part of the lake, 558 acres, is called the littoral area. This is the shallow part of the lake near the shore. Sunlight can reach the bottom here, which helps plants grow.

The deepest part of Crescent Lake is 28 feet (about 8.5 meters). The water is quite clear, with a clarity of 9.5 feet (about 2.9 meters). This means you can see about 9.5 feet down into the water.

Plants and Animals of Crescent Lake

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) helps manage the area around the lake. They look after 650 acres of old-growth forest on state land next to the lake. Old-growth forests have very old, large trees.

Fish in the Lake

Crescent Lake is a popular spot for sport fishing.

• In the 1970s, the lake was stocked with fish. This means young fish were added to the lake.
• They added walleye and muskellunge (often called "muskie").
• Now, both walleye and muskie are naturally produced in the lake. This means they lay eggs and hatch on their own without human help.
• Walleye caught by DNR surveys are usually larger than those found in similar lakes.
• However, the muskie caught so far have been smaller than the legal size for catching.

Changes in Fish Populations

• Since muskie were introduced, the number of older northern pike has gone down.
• In the 1990s, smallmouth bass appeared in Crescent Lake.
• By 2006, these bass had spread. They are now found in all the main lakes in the upper part of the Poplar River watershed, all the way down to Rice Lake.
• Other fish living in Crescent Lake include yellow perch and white sucker.

Crescent Lake Campground

The United States Forest Service runs a campground on the west side of Crescent Lake. It's a great place for families and friends to stay.

Campground Features

• There are 34 campsites available.
• You can launch your boat directly onto Crescent Lake.
• There are special areas to store canoes.
• The campground has vault toilets. These are simple, outdoor restrooms.
• A quarter-mile hiking trail is also available for exploring.

Campground Services and Fees

• During the regular season, from April 29 to October 30, you can get drinking water.
• Garbage disposal is also available during this time.
• The nightly fee for a campsite is $16.
• You can reserve 18 of the campsites ahead of time during the regular season.
• Please note that there is no electricity or dump stations for RVs at this campground.