Explore Forest Lake, Minnesota, with this interactive street and satellite map.
This page also offers TOPO MAPS — the official USGS topographic sheets — plus USGS aerial imagery, a labelled USNG grid overlay, a distance and bearing tool, and a GPS grid-reference readout. See How to Use This Map below.
This interactive map shows the street layout and satellite imagery for Forest Lake, Minnesota. Use the Map and Satellite buttons above to switch between street map and aerial imagery views. Use the + and − buttons to zoom in or out, or scroll your mouse wheel while holding the Control key to zoom. On a touchscreen, use a two-finger pinch gesture. Drag the map to pan to any area of Minnesota or beyond.
Click ⛶ Fullscreen to expand the map to fill your screen. To return to the normal page view, press the Escape key, click the ✕ Exit Fullscreen button that appears above the map, or on a mobile device tap the back button (Android) or the close icon (iOS).
TOPO MAPS — NEW. Click the green 🔍 Search Maps button below the map to open a second map with a Base map row offering three choices. OSM is the standard OpenStreetMap street map. Topo shows the official USGS topographic maps from The National Map — contours, hydrography, land cover and shaded relief, the same mapping used for hiking, hunting and back-country navigation in the Adirondacks, the Catskills and the Finger Lakes. Imagery shows USGS aerial photography, mostly 1-metre NAIP. The search box finds any US town, county or landmark by name, so you are not limited to Forest Lake.
Reading the map like a paper quad. Click Grid to overlay the U.S. National Grid (USNG), labelled along the edges exactly as a printed topographic sheet is — at normal zoom the squares are one kilometre across, so you can read a six-figure grid reference by eye and judge distance directly off the map. Click Measure, then tap two points, to get the distance between them together with the grid bearing in degrees and mils, the true bearing, and the magnetic bearing to set on a compass.
Click 📍 My position to take a single GPS reading from your device. It marks where you are and reports your position as a USNG grid reference as well as plain latitude and longitude — USNG being the format FEMA and US search and rescue teams work from — with a Copy position button so you can paste it straight into a text message. It takes one reading and stops, rather than tracking continuously, to conserve your battery. Note that map tiles need cell coverage, but a GPS reading does not — your coordinates stay correct even where the map itself cannot load.
| City | Forest Lake |
| State | Minnesota (MN) |
| County | Washington County |
| Country | United States of America |
| Timezone | Central Time (America/Chicago) |
| Latitude | 45.250831 |
| Longitude | -92.96692 |
| Population | 20,611 |
| Density | 260.6 /km² |
| Incorporated | Yes |
| ZIP Code | 55025 |
| Area Code | 612, 952 |
| County Seat | Stillwater |
| School District | Forest Lake Public School District |
Forest Lake stretches across a landscape defined by the quiet interplay of glacial earth and expansive, open skies. It lies 8.2 miles north of Hugo, MN (from Hugo, MN: bearing 3°T), and is situated 9.6 miles north-northeast of Lino Lakes. The terrain surrounding Forest Lake is characterized by subtle rises and depressions that hold the stillness of the inland plains, situated far from the reach of any saltwater influence. To the north, the winding path of the Sunrise River provides a rhythmic pulse to the land, moving water through the low-lying basins with a deliberate, slow grace. The horizon remains wide and unobstructed, save for the distant, faint silhouette of Wild Mountain that anchors the view toward the northeast. During the transition of seasons, the quality of light here gains a sharp, crystalline clarity, illuminating the intersection of water and soil in a way that feels ancient and undisturbed.
Forest Lake grew from the necessity of early settlers who recognized the potential in the abundant timber and the fertile, workable dirt of this region. The local economy has evolved from its foundational reliance on natural resources into a diverse network of small-scale industry and commerce that supports the day-to-day needs of the residents. While the echoes of early trade linger in the layout of the streets, the modern workforce finds its stability in a mix of regional services and professional trades. Hardwood Creek Regional Trail serves as a physical reminder of the land’s original state, offering a space where the pace of modern labor slows to match the speed of the passing seasons. The collective memory of the people here remains tied to the hard-won progress of those who first broke this ground, favoring a steady, industrious approach to growth over rapid transformation.
Cultural life in Forest Lake is defined by a shared appreciation for the outdoor rhythms that dictate the local calendar, from the bright, fleeting heat of summer to the long, deep silence of the winter months. The community gathers at public spaces to mark the passage of time, fostering a character that values neighborly reliability and a grounded sense of place. Notable figures such as the Olympic athlete Jessie Diggins have emerged from the broader region, reflecting the grit and endurance often found in those raised amidst these northern landscapes. The presence of the Hardwood Creek Regional Trail allows for a constant, quiet engagement with the natural world, providing a venue for reflection that is as much a part of the local identity as any built structure. Daily life here maintains an authentic, unforced quality, where the primary objective is to cultivate a life that is as enduring as the surrounding geography.
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This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Forest Lake, Minnesota. Coordinates: 45.250831, -92.96692. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service. Real-time local and world news feeds keep the page current.
Detailed location data for Forest Lake includes the ZIP code (55025), telephone area code (612, 952), county seat of Washington County (Stillwater), and school district assignment (Forest Lake Public School District).
Search Maps opens a second, independent map. It searches OpenStreetMap for any US town, county or landmark by name; offers USGS topographic maps and USGS aerial imagery as base layers; overlays a labelled U.S. National Grid (USNG) so the map can be read like a printed topographic quad; measures distance and grid, true and magnetic bearings between any two points; and takes a single GPS fix reporting your position as a USNG grid reference and as latitude and longitude. Map tiles require cell coverage, but a GPS position does not, so the coordinates remain correct even where the map cannot load.
Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.
| Page generated | September 2026 |
| Location data | SimpleMaps US Cities Database; coordinates matched to USGS GNIS definitive data |
| Map layers | Google Maps; © OpenStreetMap contributors; USGS The National Map topographic and aerial imagery (public domain); magnetic declination from NOAA NCEI (World Magnetic Model) |
| Wikipedia validation | Article content matched to USGS GNIS coordinates via Wikipedia geosearch API. |