 Often called the "Lake of the Changing Colors", Deer Lake's crystal-clear water displays a wide range of magnificent colors on sunny days - divulging the locations of its perilous rockbars to unfamiliar boaters.While Deer Lake ranks among the clearest lakes of Minnesota, what distinguishes it from its peers is its many interesting islands.In 1998, the DNR and Deer Lake Association jointly acquired Bear Island to preserve its undeveloped charm.