---
type: lake
name: "Phelps Lake"
county: "Rice"
nearest_town: "Wheatland"
lake_type: "lake"
acres: 303
max_depth_ft: 8
latitude: 44.45427
longitude: -93.50236
lake_score: 27
dnr_lake_id: "66006200"
url: https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/rice-county/phelps-lake
---

# Phelps Lake

Lake in Rice County, Minnesota, near Wheatland

- **Surface Area**: 303 acres
- **Max Depth**: 8 ft
- **Shoreline**: 3 miles
- **Water Clarity**: 0.9 ft
- **Lake Type**: lake
- **Public Access**: 1 public boat launch (concrete)
- **Lake Score**: 27/100 (composite of public data, not a visitor rating)

## About

Phelps Lake is a 303-acre lake near Wheatland in Rice County, Minnesota. It reaches 8 feet at its deepest point, and has roughly 3 miles of shoreline. DNR surveys put average water clarity at about 0.9 feet, so expect stained or algae-tinted water in summer.

The DNR has no fish survey on file for this lake, so treat any fishing as exploratory.

There is one public boat launch (concrete surface) managed by the Minnesota DNR. Ice typically goes out around March 27, based on 14 years of DNR ice-out records.

## Access

- **Public access**: 1 public boat launch (concrete)
- **Managed by**: Minnesota DNR
- **Launch fee**: Free at DNR public water accesses

## Activities

Boating, Paddling

## Amenities

Boat Ramp

## Fish Species

No DNR fish survey on file

## Ice-Out

- **Median ice-out**: March 27
- **Years of record**: 14
- **Earliest**: 2024-03-02
- **Latest**: 2018-04-29

## Nearby Lakes

- [Cody Lake](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/rice-county/cody-lake) - 0.6 miles, 259 acres
- [Lake Pepin](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/le-sueur-county/lake-pepin) - 4.8 miles, 403 acres
- [Shields Lake](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/rice-county/shields-lake) - 6.6 miles, 940 acres
- [Greenleaf Lake](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/le-sueur-county/greenleaf-lake) - 7.3 miles, 302 acres
- [Mazaska Lake](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/rice-county/mazaska-lake) - 7.7 miles, 688 acres
- [Dora Lake](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/le-sueur-county/dora-lake) - 7.9 miles, 733 acres

## Links

- [Directions](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=44.45427,-93.50236)
- [Minnesota DNR LakeFinder](https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/lake.html?id=66006200)
- [All lakes in Rice County](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/rice-county)

---
*Source: [MinneLakes.org](https://www.minnelakes.org/lakes/rice-county/phelps-lake)*