Clearest Lakes in Minnesota

The 200 clearest lakes in Minnesota by average water clarity in DNR surveys.

Clarity is how deep a Secchi disk stays visible when lowered into the water. Deep, rocky lakes of the Arrowhead and spring-fed mine pits top the list; shallow prairie lakes sit at the other end. Zebra mussels also increase clarity by filtering plankton, which is not a sign of a healthier lake.

1.Sabin Lake (Embarrass Mine)

St. Louis · Aurora156 acres

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

2.Huntington Mine

Crow Wing · Crosby106 acres

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

3.Mahnomen, Alstead & Arco Lake

Crow Wing · Armour Number Two Mine272 acres

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

4.Caribou Lake

Itasca · Marcell247 acres

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

5.Portsmouth Mine

Crow Wing · Armour Number Two Mine149 acres

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

6.St James Pit

St. Louis · Aurora124 acres

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

7.Canisteo Pit

Itasca · Coleraine1,458 acres

FishingIce Fishing

8.Cruiser Lake

St. Louis · Ray118 acres

FishingIce FishingPaddlingCamping

9.Clearwater Lake

Cook · Grand Marais1,344 acres

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

10.Tioga Mine Pit

Itasca · Cohasset49 acres

FishingIce FishingPaddlingSwimming

11.South Lake

Cook · Maple Hill1,145 acres

FishingIce FishingPaddlingCanoe Tripping

12.Spider Lake

Hubbard · Nevis570 acres

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

All 200 lakes

Sorted by rank. Tap a lake for access, fish species and directions.

Lake	County	Clarity	Acres	Max depth	Score
Sabin Lake (Embarrass Mine)near Aurora	St. Louis	38.7 ft	156	465 ft	54 out of 100 Lake Score
Huntington Minenear Crosby	Crow Wing	38.5 ft	106	258 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Mahnomen, Alstead & Arco Lakenear Armour Number Two Mine	Crow Wing	32.3 ft	272	525 ft	65 out of 100 Lake Score
Caribou Lakenear Marcell	Itasca	30.8 ft	247	152 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Portsmouth Minenear Armour Number Two Mine	Crow Wing	30.5 ft	149	395 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
St James Pitnear Aurora	St. Louis	29 ft	124	381 ft	60 out of 100 Lake Score
Canisteo Pitnear Coleraine	Itasca	29 ft	1,458	311 ft	46 out of 100 Lake Score
Cruiser Lakenear Ray	St. Louis	28 ft	118	91 ft	51 out of 100 Lake Score
Clearwater Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	27.3 ft	1,344	130 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Tioga Mine Pitnear Cohasset	Itasca	27 ft	49	225 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
South Lakenear Maple Hill	Cook	26.2 ft	1,145	140 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Spider Lakenear Nevis	Hubbard	26.1 ft	570	96 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Pennington Minenear Ironton	Crow Wing	26 ft	62	259 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Christmas Lakenear Excelsior	Hennepin	26 ft	267	87 ft	65 out of 100 Lake Score
Mountain Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	25.8 ft	1,993	210 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Sagamore Minenear Riverton	Crow Wing	25.7 ft	119	210 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Big Bass Lakenear Akeley	Hubbard	25.3 ft	133	60 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Middle Lakenear Battle Lake	Otter Tail	25 ft	225	56 ft	52 out of 100 Lake Score
Ester Lakenear Prairie Portage	Lake	24.6 ft	374	110 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
O'Brien Lakenear Cross Lake	Crow Wing	24 ft	186	49 ft	58 out of 100 Lake Score
Cherry Lakenear Prairie Portage	Lake	23.5 ft	153	100 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Chase Lakenear Deer River	Itasca	23 ft	211	95 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Three Island Lakenear Marcell	Itasca	23 ft	250	66 ft	56 out of 100 Lake Score
Gilbert Pitnear Gilbert	St. Louis	22.8 ft	243	443 ft	82 out of 100 Lake Score
Stony Lakenear Hackensack	Cass	22.8 ft	563	50 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Ruth Lakenear Emily	Crow Wing	22.8 ft	599	39 ft	62 out of 100 Lake Score
Eagle Lakenear Battle Lake	Otter Tail	22.5 ft	907	46 ft	65 out of 100 Lake Score
Lost Lakenear Biwabik	St. Louis	22.5 ft	124	44 ft	55 out of 100 Lake Score
Little McDonald Lakenear Perham	Otter Tail	22.4 ft	1,316	109 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Moccasin Lakenear Hackensack	Cass	22 ft	272	95 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Kekekabic Lakenear Prairie Portage	Lake	22 ft	1,689	195 ft	62 out of 100 Lake Score
West Pike Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	22 ft	788	120 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Ox Hide Lakenear Pengilly	Itasca	22 ft	123	40 ft	60 out of 100 Lake Score
Bass Lakenear Togo	Itasca	21.5 ft	122	65 ft	69 out of 100 Lake Score
Little Trout Lakenear Crane Lake	St. Louis	21.5 ft	272	95 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Long Lakenear Crane Lake	St. Louis	21.2 ft	478	18 ft	30 out of 100 Lake Score
Bad Medicine Lakenear Ponsford	Becker	21.1 ft	803	84 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Bass Lakenear Outing	Cass	21 ft	195	55 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
East Twin Lakenear Nisswa	Crow Wing	21 ft	163	45 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Big Sand Lakenear Dorset	Hubbard	20.9 ft	1,639	135 ft	69 out of 100 Lake Score
Fladmark Lakenear Erhard	Otter Tail	20.7 ft	59	45 ft	57 out of 100 Lake Score
Lone Lakenear Aitkin	Aitkin	20.6 ft	433	60 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Echo Lakenear Finland	Lake	20.6 ft	42	61 ft	50 out of 100 Lake Score
Ossawinnamakee Lakenear Ideal Corners	Crow Wing	20.5 ft	711	63 ft	65 out of 100 Lake Score
Amoeber Lakenear Prairie Portage	Lake	20.5 ft	410	110 ft	56 out of 100 Lake Score
East Lake Sylvianear South Haven	Wright	20.3 ft	669	78 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Miner's Pitnear Ely	St. Louis	20 ft	141	140 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
West Lake Sylvianear South Haven	Wright	20 ft	904	97 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Little Knife Lakenear Ely	Lake	20 ft	700	184 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Portage Lakenear Hackensack	Cass	20 ft	277	84 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Howard Lakenear Tofte	Cook	20 ft	166	125 ft	48 out of 100 Lake Score
Scalp Lakenear Frazee	Otter Tail	19.7 ft	254	90 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Peter Lakenear Tofte	Cook	19.6 ft	282	120 ft	56 out of 100 Lake Score
Knife Lakenear Ely	Lake	19.5 ft	4,919	179 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Guile Lakenear Cohasset	Itasca	19.5 ft	88	60 ft	59 out of 100 Lake Score
Mayhew Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	19.5 ft	221	84 ft	56 out of 100 Lake Score
Paulson Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	19.5 ft	121	60 ft	44 out of 100 Lake Score
Heart Lakenear Mallard	Clearwater	19.5 ft	224	55 ft	37 out of 100 Lake Score
Bearskin Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	19.4 ft	509	78 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Moss Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	19.4 ft	254	86 ft	52 out of 100 Lake Score
Maple Lakenear Forada	Douglas	19.2 ft	831	78 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Serpent Lakenear Crosby	Crow Wing	19.1 ft	1,116	65 ft	73 out of 100 Lake Score
Long Lost Lakenear Zerkel	Clearwater	19.1 ft	539	63 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Sylvan Lakenear Pillager	Cass	19 ft	894	57 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Little Long Lakenear Ely	St. Louis	19 ft	322	45 ft	65 out of 100 Lake Score
Ottertrack Lakenear Ely	Lake	19 ft	1,134	116 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Burnt Shanty Lakenear Marcell	Itasca	19 ft	198	35 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Crystalnear Maple Hill	Cook	19 ft	206	80 ft	60 out of 100 Lake Score
Island Lakenear Trommald	Crow Wing	19 ft	126	36 ft	60 out of 100 Lake Score
Topaz Lakenear Prairie Portage	Lake	19 ft	150	73 ft	50 out of 100 Lake Score
East Crooked Lakenear Nevis	Hubbard	18.9 ft	379	96 ft	69 out of 100 Lake Score
Mound Lakenear Burtrum	Todd	18.9 ft	270	57 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Elmonear Lake Elmo	Washington	18.7 ft	257	140 ft	78 out of 100 Lake Score
Larson Lakenear Effie	Itasca	18.7 ft	208	177 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
Lone Lakenear Bagley	Clearwater	18.7 ft	69	70 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Wabana Lakenear Grand Rapids	Itasca	18.6 ft	2,221	115 ft	73 out of 100 Lake Score
Big Cormorant Lakenear Audubon	Becker	18.6 ft	3,657	75 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Lower Hay Lakenear Jenkins	Crow Wing	18.6 ft	700	100 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Kimball Lakenear Jenkins	Crow Wing	18.6 ft	190	77 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Trout Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	18.6 ft	259	77 ft	58 out of 100 Lake Score
Ram Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	18.6 ft	68	40 ft	47 out of 100 Lake Score
Long Lakenear Lake Itasca	Clearwater	18.5 ft	159	80 ft	80 out of 100 Lake Score
Ely Lakenear Eveleth	St. Louis	18.5 ft	723	70 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Little Pelican Lakenear Breezy Point	Crow Wing	18.5 ft	271	34 ft	62 out of 100 Lake Score
O'Leary Lakenear Crane Lake	St. Louis	18.5 ft	202	52 ft	56 out of 100 Lake Score
Mule Lakenear Longville	Cass	18.4 ft	525	47 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Six Lakenear Frazee	Otter Tail	18.3 ft	197	140 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Big Carnelian Lakenear Stillwater	Washington	18.3 ft	457	66 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Mirror Lakenear Togo	Itasca	18.3 ft	109	45 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Strawberry Lakenear White Earth	Becker	18.2 ft	1,498	40 ft	73 out of 100 Lake Score
Ponto Lakenear Backus	Cass	18.2 ft	388	60 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Burntside Lakenear Ely	St. Louis	18.1 ft	7,314	126 ft	87 out of 100 Lake Score
West Battle Lakenear Battle Lake	Otter Tail	18 ft	5,615	108 ft	81 out of 100 Lake Score
Juggler Lakenear Ponsford	Becker	18 ft	428	78 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Grave Lakenear Remer	Cass	18 ft	373	55 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Long Lakenear Goodland	Itasca	18 ft	131	84 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Island Lakenear Longville	Cass	18 ft	184	40 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Beartrack Lakenear Crane Lake	St. Louis	18 ft	156	55 ft	42 out of 100 Lake Score
Star Lakenear Cross Lake	Crow Wing	18 ft	127	83 ft	42 out of 100 Lake Score
Little Sand Lakenear Dorset	Hubbard	17.9 ft	410	80 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Pine Lakenear Hovland	Cook	17.9 ft	2,122	113 ft	69 out of 100 Lake Score
Ethel Lakenear Ottertail	Otter Tail	17.9 ft	191	64 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Birch Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	17.8 ft	236	69 ft	55 out of 100 Lake Score
Duncan Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	17.8 ft	477	130 ft	54 out of 100 Lake Score
Boot Lakenear Two Inlets	Becker	17.7 ft	385	109 ft	77 out of 100 Lake Score
Loon Lakenear Aurora	St. Louis	17.7 ft	271	85 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Pickerel Lakenear Detroit Lakes	Becker	17.7 ft	361	74 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Kinney Lakenear Kinney	St. Louis	17.7 ft	45	160 ft	56 out of 100 Lake Score
Pike Lakenear Hermantown	St. Louis	17.6 ft	488	60 ft	71 out of 100 Lake Score
Bluewater Lakenear Grand Rapids	Itasca	17.5 ft	364	120 ft	69 out of 100 Lake Score
Baynear Deerwood (Crow Wing)	Crow Wing	17.5 ft	2,330	74 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Thunder Lakenear Remer	Cass	17.5 ft	1,347	95 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
West Silent Lakenear Pelican Rapids	Otter Tail	17.5 ft	347	58 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Clear Lakenear Jenkins	Crow Wing	17.5 ft	226	63 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Poplar Lakenear Togo	Itasca	17.5 ft	112	50 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Falk Lakenear Clearbrook	Clearwater	17.5 ft	73	33 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Fat Lakenear Crane Lake	St. Louis	17.5 ft	108	50 ft	44 out of 100 Lake Score
Skunk Lakenear Park Rapids	Hubbard	17.5 ft	218	55 ft	41 out of 100 Lake Score
Ten Mile Lakenear Hackensack	Cass	17.4 ft	5,080	208 ft	73 out of 100 Lake Score
Cedar Lakenear Upsala	Morrison	17.4 ft	236	88 ft	72 out of 100 Lake Score
Eagles Nest #1 Lakenear Ely	St. Louis	17.3 ft	324	76 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Bass Lakenear Underwood	Otter Tail	17.3 ft	311	36 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Wilson Lakenear Schroeder	Lake	17.3 ft	650	53 ft	62 out of 100 Lake Score
Snowbank Lakenear Ely	Lake	17.2 ft	4,655	150 ft	79 out of 100 Lake Score
Little Toad Lakenear Frazee	Becker	17.2 ft	406	65 ft	73 out of 100 Lake Score
No-ta-she-bun Lakenear Remer	Itasca	17.2 ft	239	45 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Jane Lakenear Lake Elmo	Washington	17.2 ft	158	39 ft	58 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Carlosnear Carlos	Douglas	17.1 ft	2,605	163 ft	87 out of 100 Lake Score
Pike Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	17.1 ft	814	45 ft	65 out of 100 Lake Score
Square Lakenear Stillwater	Washington	17 ft	203	68 ft	78 out of 100 Lake Score
Loon Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	17 ft	1,095	202 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Big Fish Lakenear Cold Spring	Stearns	17 ft	557	70 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Snowball Lakenear Calumet	Itasca	17 ft	145	38 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Rabbit Lake (West Portion)near Cuyuna	Crow Wing	17 ft	536	50 ft	65 out of 100 Lake Score
Perch Lakenear Baxter	Crow Wing	17 ft	266	40 ft	62 out of 100 Lake Score
Adney Lakenear Cross Lake	Crow Wing	17 ft	310	27 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Hale Lakenear Grand Rapids	Itasca	17 ft	130	60 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Tofte Lakenear Ely	Lake	17 ft	134	73 ft	59 out of 100 Lake Score
Clearwater Lakenear Taconite	Itasca	17 ft	76	38 ft	56 out of 100 Lake Score
West Two Rivers Reservoirnear Mountain Iron	St. Louis	17 ft	967	27 ft	51 out of 100 Lake Score
Wasson Lakenear Taconite	Itasca	17 ft	438	67 ft	43 out of 100 Lake Score
Gun Lakenear Crane Lake	St. Louis	16.9 ft	184	135 ft	59 out of 100 Lake Score
Rush Lakenear Cross Lake	Crow Wing	16.8 ft	858	105 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Eunicenear Audubon	Becker	16.8 ft	378	30 ft	62 out of 100 Lake Score
Gillis Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	16.8 ft	616	180 ft	57 out of 100 Lake Score
Whitefish Lakenear Tofte	Lake	16.8 ft	346	49 ft	55 out of 100 Lake Score
Twenty-one Lakenear Erhard	Otter Tail	16.8 ft	142	47 ft	50 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Lizzie (North Portion)near Pelican Rapids	Otter Tail	16.7 ft	1,913	66 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Ruby Lakenear Grand Rapids	Itasca	16.7 ft	235	88 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Paul Lakenear Perham	Otter Tail	16.7 ft	346	81 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Vera Lakenear Ely	Lake	16.7 ft	250	55 ft	43 out of 100 Lake Score
Pelican Lakenear Breezy Point	Crow Wing	16.6 ft	8,367	104 ft	82 out of 100 Lake Score
Crooked Lakenear Garrison	Crow Wing	16.6 ft	463	72 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Eighth Crow Wing Lakenear Nevis	Hubbard	16.6 ft	503	30 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Bass Lakenear Grey Eagle	Todd	16.6 ft	94	47 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
East Pike Lakenear Hovland	Cook	16.6 ft	554	40 ft	45 out of 100 Lake Score
Cross Lake Reservoirnear Cross Lake	Crow Wing	16.5 ft	1,815	84 ft	76 out of 100 Lake Score
Greenwood Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	16.5 ft	2,043	112 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Long Lakenear Detroit Lakes	Becker	16.5 ft	415	61 ft	71 out of 100 Lake Score
Big Pine Lakenear Cutler	Aitkin	16.5 ft	638	78 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Hatch Lakenear Marcell	Itasca	16.5 ft	226	88 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Five Island Lakenear Effie	Itasca	16.5 ft	214	33 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Batson Lakenear Marcell	Itasca	16.5 ft	114	50 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Beauty Lakenear Park Rapids	Hubbard	16.5 ft	55	53 ft	60 out of 100 Lake Score
Fawn Lakenear Lincoln	Todd	16.5 ft	125	21 ft	25 out of 100 Lake Score
St. Mary's Lakenear Spruce	St. Louis	16.4 ft	234	44 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Webb Lakenear Hackensack	Cass	16.4 ft	720	84 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Elbow Lakenear Battle Lake	Otter Tail	16.4 ft	188	46 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Gunflint Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	16.3 ft	4,009	200 ft	86 out of 100 Lake Score
Nelson Lakenear Laporte	Hubbard	16.3 ft	40	20 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Evergreen Lakenear Lake George	Hubbard	16.3 ft	213	38 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Long Lakenear Backus	Cass	16.3 ft	142	48 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Trout Lakenear Coleraine	Itasca	16.2 ft	1,862	135 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Whitewater Lakenear Hoyt Lakes	St. Louis	16.2 ft	1,212	73 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
Thistledew Lakenear Togo	Itasca	16.2 ft	326	45 ft	71 out of 100 Lake Score
Brule Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	16.2 ft	4,327	78 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
George Lakenear Lake George	Hubbard	16.2 ft	826	29 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Middle Cullen Lakenear Nisswa	Crow Wing	16.2 ft	405	48 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Rabbit Lake (East Portion)near Cuyuna	Crow Wing	16.2 ft	670	337 ft	69 out of 100 Lake Score
West Crooked Lakenear Nevis	Hubbard	16.2 ft	270	50 ft	65 out of 100 Lake Score
Waboose Lakenear Nevis	Hubbard	16.2 ft	175	32 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Little Pine Lakenear Aitkin	Aitkin	16.2 ft	226	44 ft	60 out of 100 Lake Score
Dellwater Lakenear Bemidji	Beltrami	16.2 ft	199	29 ft	60 out of 100 Lake Score
Daniels Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	16.2 ft	509	90 ft	59 out of 100 Lake Score
Pokegama Lakenear Grand Rapids	Itasca	16.1 ft	6,721	112 ft	86 out of 100 Lake Score
Tamarack Lakenear Duxbury	Pine	16.1 ft	71	47 ft	60 out of 100 Lake Score
Big Watab Lakenear Avon	Stearns	16 ft	246	123 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Noma Lakenear Wirt	Itasca	16 ft	60	47 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Edna Lakenear Nisswa	Crow Wing	16 ft	156	63 ft	65 out of 100 Lake Score
Widow Lakenear Longville	Cass	16 ft	198	46 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Sand Lakenear Hackensack	Cass	16 ft	149	54 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Garfield Lakenear Laporte	Hubbard	16 ft	972	32 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Horseshoe Lakenear Backus	Cass	16 ft	260	51 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Pillager Lakenear Pillager	Cass	16 ft	205	39 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Peavy Lakenear Sullivan	Morrison	16 ft	140	63 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Holman Lakenear Bovey	Itasca	16 ft	148	65 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Bass Lakenear Ely	St. Louis	16 ft	169	36 ft	59 out of 100 Lake Score
Indiana Lakenear Prairie Portage	Lake	16 ft	143	31 ft	58 out of 100 Lake Score
Clinker Lakenear Crosby	Crow Wing	16 ft	81	35 ft	58 out of 100 Lake Score
Day Lakenear Marcell	Itasca	16 ft	49	57 ft	57 out of 100 Lake Score