Johnson Lake - Deer Lake

Itasca County, Minnesota

Johnson Lake is in Deer Lake, Minnesota, under 20 miles from Grand Rapids.

The Range Regional Airport is under 50 miles away, and the Essentia Health-Deer River Hospital is 17.5 miles away. For international travel, the Duluth International Airport is under 110 miles away.

Johnson Lake is near several forests, including George Washington State Forest, Chippewa National Forest, and Buena Vista State Forest.

Life on the Water

Johnson Lake is 492 acres in size, with a maximum depth of 88 feet, offering plenty of room for lake fun.

Popular activities include boating, kayaking, canoeing, watersports, swimming, fishing, and taking in the views. Many homes have docks, but a public access point is on the southern tip of the water.

Anglers can find black crappie, bluegill, burbot, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, yellow perch, white sucker, bluntnose minnow, central mudminnow, and Johnny darter.

Visit Grand Rapids

If you’re interested in learning the history of logging in this part of the state, head down to the Forest History Center. You can see a recreation of a white pine logging camp from 1900, listen to stories from loggers and forest service patrolmen from different eras, or get a bird’s eye view from a 100-foot fire tower.

Follow the yellow brick road to the Judy Garland Museum, where you can get a glimpse at the world’s largest Judy Garland and Wizard of Oz collection, including the world-famous ruby-red slippers from the movie.

If you’re getting hungry, you can check out the great restaurants that Grand Rapids has to offer, like Mitu Srilankan and Indian Cuisine, Donkey Taqueria, and Heritage Restaurant.

A Place to Call Home

Whether you are looking for a family home, a full-time retirement home, or a vacation home to enjoy the outdoors, Johnson Lake is an excellent choice!