Best Swimming Lakes in St. Louis County
16 swimming lakes in St. Louis County, Minnesota, ranked best first.
1.St. Mary's Lake
75 out of 100 Lake ScoreSt. Louis · Spruce234 acres
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2.Gilbert Pit
82 out of 100 Lake ScoreSt. Louis · Gilbert243 acres
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3.Burntside Lake
87 out of 100 Lake ScoreSt. Louis · Ely7,314 acres
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4.Ely Lake
75 out of 100 Lake ScoreSt. Louis · Eveleth723 acres
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5.Rainy Lake
89 out of 100 Lake ScoreSt. Louis · International Falls210,200 acres
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6.Bear Head Lake
77 out of 100 Lake ScoreSt. Louis · Tower662 acres
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7.Half Moon Lake
43 out of 100 Lake ScoreSt. Louis · Peary162 acres
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8.Fenske Lake
69 out of 100 Lake ScoreSt. Louis · Ely108 acres
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9.Cadotte Lake
64 out of 100 Lake ScoreSt. Louis · Fairbanks294 acres
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10.St. Louis River Estuary
82 out of 100 Lake ScoreSt. Louis · Duluth10,255 acres
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11.Shagawa Lake
70 out of 100 Lake ScoreSt. Louis · Ely2,345 acres
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12.Birch Lake
75 out of 100 Lake ScoreSt. Louis · Babbitt7,074 acres
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All 16 lakes
Sorted by rank. Tap a lake for access, fish species and directions.
| Lake | Acres | Max depth | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Mary's Lakenear Spruce | 234 | 44 ft | 75 out of 100 Lake Score |
| Gilbert Pitnear Gilbert | 243 | 443 ft | 82 out of 100 Lake Score |
| Burntside Lakenear Ely | 7,314 | 126 ft | 87 out of 100 Lake Score |
| Ely Lakenear Eveleth | 723 | 70 ft | 75 out of 100 Lake Score |
| Rainy Lakenear International Falls | 210,200 | 161 ft | 89 out of 100 Lake Score |
| Bear Head Lakenear Tower | 662 | 46 ft | 77 out of 100 Lake Score |
| Half Moon Lakenear Peary | 162 | 40 ft | 43 out of 100 Lake Score |
| Fenske Lakenear Ely | 108 | 43 ft | 69 out of 100 Lake Score |
| Cadotte Lakenear Fairbanks | 294 | 18 ft | 64 out of 100 Lake Score |
| St. Louis River Estuarynear Duluth | 10,255 | 55 ft | 82 out of 100 Lake Score |
| Shagawa Lakenear Ely | 2,345 | 48 ft | 70 out of 100 Lake Score |
| Birch Lakenear Babbitt | 7,074 | 25 ft | 75 out of 100 Lake Score |
| Whiteface Reservoirnear Markham | 4,567 | 35 ft | 74 out of 100 Lake Score |
| Carey Lakenear Hibbing | 145 | 14 ft | 59 out of 100 Lake Score |
| Colby Lakenear Hoyt Lakes | 518 | 30 ft | 59 out of 100 Lake Score |
| Echo Lakenear Buyck | 1,142 | 10 ft | 64 out of 100 Lake Score |
More in St. Louis County
Best Swimming Lakes in other counties
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best swimming lake in St. Louis County?
St. Mary's Lake ranks first for swimming in St. Louis County, ahead of Gilbert Pit. Rankings come from Minnesota DNR records and mapped amenities, not visitor reviews.