How Sybil was Named

Legend has it that in 1877, Civil war veteran George Adelbert Parker brought his wife Sybil to the shore of the lake, she said to him, “it’s beautiful.” Parker replied, “As you are, I want it to be named Lake Sybil.”

About Sybil Lake

Sybil Lake is a 706-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in north-central Otter Tail County approximately 3 miles southeast of Vergas, MN. Sybil Lake is connected to Loon Lake via an unnavigable inlet along the west shoreline. Water from Sybil flows out on the east end of the lake into Long Lake through a culvert under Sybil Lake Road. 

The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. Sybil Lake has a maximum depth of 74 feet; however, 60% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. The secchi disk reading during the 2021 survey was 16.3 feet. Previous secchi disk readings have ranged from 10.8 to 18.0 feet and recently as deep as 24 feet.  

Moderate development exists along the shoreline of Sybil Lake. Homes and cottages compose the majority of the development. A DNR owned public access is located on the south shoreline of the lake. Shoal water substrates consist primarily of sand and gravel with some areas of rubble. Emergent vegetation (common cattails and hardstem bulrush) is located primarily in the southwest basin. These areas provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat and are critical for maintaining good water quality in the lake.