Water skiing was born on Lake Pepin in 1922 and recreational boating abounds on this 29,295-acre lake, which stretches 21 miles from Red Wing to Alma, Wis.
Minnesota's sixth-largest lake is unique because it’s part of the Mississippi River. Located only an hour away from the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area, Frontenac State Park comprises a large part of Lake Pepin's northwestern shore.
At two miles across at its widest point and averaging 1.7 miles across, Lake Pepin is the widest navigable portion of the Mississippi River's 2,350-mile flow to the Gulf of Mexico. The naturally occurring lake is formed by water backing up at the delta formed by sediment deposited at the mouth of Wisconsin's Chippewa River.
With 85 different species of fish, Lake Pepin has earned its reputation as a fishing destination. Anglers from all over travel to this scenic bluffland area, which is known for its abundant walleye, sauger, perch and white bass populations.