Why visit Big Lake
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 13 parks and trails, 9 places to eat and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Highway 25 Bridge, Nicherson–Tarbox House, Rand House and Big Lake Township’s Lions Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 4°F, and about 36 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Big Lake
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Big Lake
Big Lake is a city in Sherburne County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 11,686 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Big Lake, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks3
Nicherson–Tarbox House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
House in Monticello, Minnesota, United States
Rand House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.7 mi
House in Monticello, Minnesota, United States
Tobias G. Mealey House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
House in Monticello, Minnesota, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds13
Big Lake Township’s Lions Park
Park · 1.7 mi
A 51 Acre Community Park, Indoor Community Center and Rental Facility.
21960 County Road 5, Big Lake
Mo-Su 08:00-22:00
1 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes9
Ember Coffee Company
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.7 mi
Locally owned café that roasts their own beans, makes their own chai. Scratch-made food also available.
450 Jefferson Blvd, Big Lake
Tu-Fr 06:00-16:00; Sa, Su 07:00-16:00
Russell's On the Lake
Restaurant · Seafood · 0.7 mi
111 Jefferson Boulevard, Big Lake
Lupulin Brewing
Brewery and winery · 0.8 mi
570 Humbolt Drive Northwest, Big Lake
History
Big Lake was originally established to harvest ice in both of its towns' lakes (Big and Mitchell Lakes). Due to the rich amount of ice Big Lake provided, it needed to be transported quickly, enabling Big Lake to be suitable for a railway station which was built in 1871. Big Lake was served by both the Great Northern Railway and Northern Pacific Railroad, later Burlington Northern Railroad, now BNSF Railway.
The city was host to a station of both GN and NP railways until the NP station burned in 1918, in later years both railroads shared a depot. The depot no longer stands.
From the History section of Big Lake, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries30
Healthcare1
Map of Big Lake
65 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 22°F | 4°F | 0.8 in | 8.2 in |
| Feb | 28°F | 7°F | 0.8 in | 7.3 in |
| Mar | 40°F | 18°F | 1.7 in | 6.3 in |
| Apr | 56°F | 32°F | 3.0 in | 2.4 in |
| May | 69°F | 44°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 56°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 61°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 58°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 72°F | 49°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 58°F | 36°F | 3.0 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 41°F | 24°F | 1.7 in | 5.3 in |
| Dec | 27°F | 11°F | 1.1 in | 6.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Elk Rvr (8 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Sherburne County has had 3 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-13: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Maple Lake Municipal Airport (MGG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 14 miles away.
- Monticello 4 mi southwest, about 6 min by car
- Otsego 8 mi southeast, about 13 min by car
- Becker 8 mi northwest, about 12 min by car
- Albertville 8 mi southeast, about 13 min by car
- Elk River 9 mi east, about 14 min by car
- Anoka 19 mi southeast, about 31 min by car
- Andover 21 mi east, about 33 min by car
- Minneapolis 35 mi southeast, about 56 min by car
- St. Paul 41 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Apple Valley 49 mi southeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Big Lake Watertower, KAM32296, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Tobias G. Mealey House SW, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Nicherson-Tarbox House & Barn, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Rufus Rand Summer House, McGhiever, CC BY-SA 4.0
- MN-25 Bridge, Todd Murray, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.