Big Stone Lake
Reservoir Border lake dividing Minnesota and South Dakota
Border lake between Minnesota and South Dakota, Big Stone Lake supports fishing, boating and state park facilities; visitors use campgrounds and lakeside trails.
Big Stone Lake is a freshwater lake that lies on the border between Minnesota and South Dakota in the United States. It is recognised as the headwaters of the Minnesota River and forms part of the inter-state boundary.
Stretching roughly 16 miles (about 26 kilometres) in length, the lake is used for recreational boating, fishing and shoreline parks. Towns and recreational facilities occupy parts of its shore and provide access points for visitors.
The lake is a glacially formed basin that functions hydrologically as the source of the Minnesota River. It sits in a rural landscape of farmland and low rolling hills along the Minnesota-South Dakota border.
- Border and river source: Forms part of the border between Minnesota and South Dakota and serves as the headwaters of the Minnesota River.
- Size and use: About 16 miles long, it is used for fishing and recreational boating along its shoreline communities.
How to Get to Big Stone Lake #
Big Stone Lake straddles the Minnesota-South Dakota border and is served by nearby small towns such as Ortonville, MN, and Big Stone City, SD. Access is by state and county roads; in Minnesota use MN State Highway 7 toward Ortonville and then local county roads to public access points and boat launches around the lake. Local towns provide parking and landing sites for visitors.
Best Time to Visit Big Stone Lake #
Visit in summer for warm weather and lake recreation; winters are very cold and the lake often freezes, changing available activities.
Weather & Climate near Big Stone Lake #
Big Stone Lake's climate is classified as Hot-Summer Continental - Hot-Summer Continental climate with warm summers (peaking in July) and freezing winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -17°C to 29°C. Moderate rainfall (556 mm/year).
January
January is the coldest month with highs of -6°C and lows of -17°C. Light rainfall.
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February
February is freezing with highs of -2°C and lows of -14°C. Light rainfall.
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March
March is freezing with highs of 4°C and lows of -7°C. Moderate rainfall (35 mm).
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April
April is cold with highs of 14°C and lows of 1°C. Moderate rainfall (57 mm).
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May
May is cool with highs of 22°C and lows of 8°C. Moderate rainfall (67 mm).
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June
June is mild with highs of 26°C and lows of 13°C. The wettest month with 87 mm of rain.
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July
July is the warmest month with highs of 29°C and lows of 16°C. Regular rainfall (82 mm).
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August
August is mild with highs of 28°C and lows of 14°C. Moderate rainfall (66 mm).
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September
September is cool with highs of 23°C and lows of 9°C. Moderate rainfall (52 mm).
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October
October is cold with highs of 15°C and lows of 2°C. Moderate rainfall (47 mm).
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November
November is freezing with highs of 4°C and lows of -6°C. Light rainfall.
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December
December is freezing with highs of -3°C and lows of -14°C. The driest month with just 11 mm.
