Best Lakes in Minnesota
Statewide and county-by-county rankings, built from Minnesota DNR records rather than opinion.
Best Fishing Lakes
Top-ranked walleye, pike, bass and panfish waters by county.
2,040 lakes · 61 counties
Best Swimming Lakes
Lakes with mapped swim beaches and clear water.
203 lakes · 24 counties
Best Boating Lakes
Big water with public ramps, marinas and room to run.
1,444 lakes · 59 counties
Best Camping Lakes
Lakes with campgrounds mapped on the shoreline.
562 lakes · 32 counties
Best Paddling Lakes
Carry-in and canoe-country water for kayaks, canoes and paddleboards.
2,196 lakes · 63 counties
Best Ice Fishing Lakes
Hard-water lakes for walleye, perch, crappie and lake trout.
1,997 lakes · 60 counties
Top 12 lakes overall
Highest Lake Score in the state.
1.Leech Lake
92 out of 100 Lake ScoreCass · Walker103,444 acres
2.Cass Lake
92 out of 100 Lake ScoreBeltrami · Cass Lake15,958 acres
3.Gull Lake
90 out of 100 Lake ScoreCass · Nisswa10,010 acres
4.Rainy Lake
89 out of 100 Lake ScoreSt. Louis · International Falls210,200 acres
5.Burntside Lake
87 out of 100 Lake ScoreSt. Louis · Ely7,314 acres
6.Lake Carlos
87 out of 100 Lake ScoreDouglas · Carlos2,605 acres
7.Pokegama Lake
86 out of 100 Lake ScoreItasca · Grand Rapids6,721 acres
8.Gunflint Lake
86 out of 100 Lake ScoreCook · Grand Marais4,009 acres
9.Lake Minnetonka
85 out of 100 Lake ScoreHennepin · Mound14,206 acres
10.Detroit Lake
85 out of 100 Lake ScoreBecker · Detroit Lakes3,067 acres
11.Lake of the Woods
84 out of 100 Lake ScoreLake of the Woods · Long Point725,583 acres
12.Lake St. Croix
83 out of 100 Lake ScoreWashington · Stillwater8,393 acres
Best lakes by county
- Aitkin County67
- Anoka County15
- Becker County76
- Beltrami County62
- Big Stone County12
- Blue Earth County10
- Brown County4
- Carlton County21
- Carver County24
- Cass County134
- Chisago County20
- Clay County4
- Clearwater County23
- Cook County171
- Cottonwood County8
- Crow Wing County143
- Dakota County13
- Douglas County53
- Freeborn County8
- Goodhue County4
- Grant County10
- Hennepin County40
- Hubbard County81
- Isanti County14
- Itasca County227
- Jackson County11
- Kanabec County9
- Kandiyohi County31
- Koochiching County7
- Lake County161
- Le Sueur County24
- Lincoln County11
- Lyon County13
- Mahnomen County13
- Martin County20
- McLeod County11
- Meeker County31
- Mille Lacs County4
- Morrison County19
- Murray County14
- Nobles County7
- Olmsted County5
- Otter Tail County126
- Pine County24
- Polk County13
- Pope County18
- Ramsey County20
- Rice County17
- Scott County12
- Sherburne County18
- Sibley County4
- St. Louis County270
- Stearns County51
- Stevens County5
- Swift County7
- Todd County40
- Wadena County4
- Waseca County7
- Washington County18
- Watonwan County5
- Winona County4
- Wright County61
- Yellow Medicine County4