Mountain Lake, Minnesota
Mountain Lake is a city of 2,070 people in Cottonwood County, Minnesota, founded in May 25, 1872.
Why visit Mountain Lake
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 5 places to eat and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Isaac Bargen House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 8°F, and about 44 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Mountain Lake
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Mountain Lake
Mountain Lake is a city in Cottonwood County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,999 as of the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Mountain Lake, Minnesota (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks2
Isaac Bargen House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in Minnesota, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes5
History
The city of Mountain Lake was formally platted on May 25, 1872. It has had a post office in operation since 1871.
From the History section of Mountain Lake, Minnesota on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship1
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries3
Healthcare2
Map of Mountain Lake
23 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°F | 8°F | 0.9 in | 8.4 in |
| Feb | 30°F | 12°F | 0.8 in | 9.0 in |
| Mar | 43°F | 24°F | 1.8 in | 7.3 in |
| Apr | 58°F | 36°F | 3.2 in | 4.2 in |
| May | 70°F | 48°F | 4.5 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 59°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 63°F | 3.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 81°F | 61°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 52°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 39°F | 2.5 in | 0.9 in |
| Nov | 44°F | 25°F | 1.5 in | 5.2 in |
| Dec | 30°F | 14°F | 1.1 in | 8.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Windom (11 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
Cottonwood County has had 10 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for floods.
- 2024-06-28: Severe Storms And Flooding (Flood)
- 2022-07-08: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-07: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-06-12: Severe Winter Storm, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2018-09-05: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Windom Municipal Airport (MWM) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 9 miles away.
- Jackson 22 mi south, about 36 min by car
- Madelia 26 mi east, about 42 min by car
- Fairmont 31 mi southeast, about 50 min by car
- New Ulm 34 mi northeast, about 55 min by car
- Spirit Lake 37 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Estherville 38 mi south, about 1 h by car
- Worthington 40 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- Lake Park 40 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- North Mankato 47 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Mankato 50 mi east, 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
- Bargen, Isaac, House, Jatakuck, CC BY-SA 3.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.