Lake Itasca
Lake Itasca ( eye-TASS-kə) is a glacial lake, approximately 4.7 square kilometres (470 hectares; 1,200 acres) in area.
A lake, 54 mi southwest of Hornet Township
Winters are cold
January nights drop to -4°. When to go ↓
Plan where you’ll sleep
No town within 30 miles has many hotels or campgrounds. Look at the towns below, or plan to camp. Where to stay ↓
One of the most looked-up attractions in the U.S.
About 84K people a year read its Wikipedia article, more than for 96% of the 7,799 attractions we track.
Best months: Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 67–78°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Hornet Township. Green months are the mild ones.
Lake Itasca
Lake Itasca ( eye-TASS-kə) is a glacial lake, approximately 4.7 square kilometres (470 hectares; 1,200 acres) in area. It is located in Itasca State Park, in south-eastern Clearwater County, in the Headwaters area of north-central Minnesota, and is the headwater of the Mississippi River. It has a depth range of 20 to 35 feet (5 to 10 m) and is 1,475 feet (450 m) above sea level.
The Ojibwe name for the lake is Omashkoozo-zaaga'igan (Elk Lake). The first European explorers in the area were French Canadian and they named the lake Lac Labiche (Doe Lake, often mistranslated as Elk Lake). The name was later changed by Henry Schoolcraft to "Itasca", coined from a combination of the dog Latin phrase veritas caput (intended to mean "true head [of the Mississippi]"). It is one of several examples of pseudo-Native American place names created by Schoolcraft.
- Type
- Lake
- Area
- 1,161 acres
- Elevation
- 1,476 ft
- Wikipedia readers
- 84K a year
Where to stay near Lake Itasca
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Squaw Lake (4).
Squaw Lake
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
102 people
57 mi northeast of Lake Itasca
Compare 2 towns
| Town | From Lake Itasca | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squaw Lake | 57 mi northeast | 1.5 hr | 4 2 hotels · 2 lodges & cabins | 102 | $181K |
| Hornet Township | 54 mi northeast | 1.5 hr | 1 1 campground | 203 | $183K |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Lake Itasca
Other well-known places within 46 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
45 mi
Photo credits
Itasca State Park: Mark Evans from Orange City, USA, CC BY 2.0 · The Big Fish: McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
Visiting Lake Itasca
What town is Lake Itasca near?
Hornet Township, MN, about 54 miles northeast.
When is the best time to visit Lake Itasca?
June, July, August and September, with highs of 67–78°.
What is the closest airport to Lake Itasca?
Thief River Falls Regional (TVF), about 74 miles away. The nearest big hub is Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field (MSP), about 187 miles.
Where should I stay near Lake Itasca?
Squaw Lake (57 mi, 4 places to stay).
Tips from people in Hornet Township
No tips yet. Ask, or answer, in Hornet Township’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.