October 7, 2026
The Fall 2026 newsletter is out
A low-water summer that left boats on shallow docks, and what the board worked on behind the scenes.
Big Sand Lake
One of Minnesota's clearest lakes: 1,635 acres in Hubbard County, cared for by its neighbors since 1988.
Get involved
Members pay dues after logging in. Gifts to the Charitable Lake Fund go through the Northwest Minnesota Foundation.
The lake at a glance
Members
About 150
Households join BSLA each year: about three in four Big Sand property owners.
Surface area
1,635 acres
Near Park Rapids in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
Maximum depth
135 ft
At the lake's deepest point.
Chain of lakes
Mantrap chain
Big Sand is part of the Mantrap chain of lakes.
Neighbors keeping Big Sand clear
Welcome to the Big Sand Lake Association. We are neighbors working together to keep Big Sand Lake clear, healthy, and welcoming for today’s families and for generations to come.
Lake news
September 29, 2026
Starry stonewort keeps spreading in Minnesota
MPR News looks at the invasive alga 11 years after it was first found in the state.
July 21, 2026
Know the three plants we watch for
With zebra mussels confirmed, the board shared ID sheets for starry stonewort, Eurasian watermilfoil and curly-leaf pondweed.
The Charitable Lake Fund
Watercraft inspection at the public access is the most effective tool we have against new invaders, and the Big Sand Lake Charitable Fund pays for much of it.
The fund was set up in 2009 at the Northwest Minnesota Foundation. It holds an endowment, where only earnings are spent, and a general fund for lake projects too large for the association's treasury.
