Minnesota Swimming Lakes

203 lakes with a mapped swim beach in Minnesota.

A lake is listed when a swim beach is mapped on or beside it in OpenStreetMap. Rank favors clearer water (DNR clarity readings), more beaches and a picnic area. See the county-by-county rankings on Best Swimming Lakes.

1.Boot Lake

Becker · Two Inlets385 acres

17.7 ft clarity

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

2.Pelican Lake

Crow Wing · Breezy Point8,367 acres

16.6 ft clarity

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

3.Gull Lake

Cass · Nisswa10,010 acres

14.2 ft clarity

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

4.Lake Carlos

Douglas · Carlos2,605 acres

17.1 ft clarity

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

5.St. Mary's Lake

St. Louis · Spruce234 acres

16.4 ft clarity

FishingIce FishingPaddlingSwimming

6.Pokegama Lake

Itasca · Grand Rapids6,721 acres

16.1 ft clarity

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

7.Flour Lake

Cook · Grand Marais330 acres

15.4 ft clarity

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

8.Tioga Mine Pit

Itasca · Cohasset49 acres

27 ft clarity

FishingIce FishingPaddlingSwimming

9.Gilbert Pit

St. Louis · Gilbert243 acres

22.8 ft clarity

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

10.Long Lake

Clearwater · Lake Itasca159 acres

18.5 ft clarity

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

11.Square Lake

Washington · Stillwater203 acres

17 ft clarity

FishingIce FishingBoatingPaddling

12.Hungry Jack Lake

Cook · Grand Marais474 acres

15.3 ft clarity

FishingIce FishingPaddlingSwimming

All 203 lakes

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

Lake	County	Acres	Max depth	Score
Boot Lakenear Two Inlets	Becker	385	109 ft	77 out of 100 Lake Score
Pelican Lakenear Breezy Point	Crow Wing	8,367	104 ft	82 out of 100 Lake Score
Gull Lakenear Nisswa	Cass	10,010	80 ft	90 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Carlosnear Carlos	Douglas	2,605	163 ft	87 out of 100 Lake Score
St. Mary's Lakenear Spruce	St. Louis	234	44 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Pokegama Lakenear Grand Rapids	Itasca	6,721	112 ft	86 out of 100 Lake Score
Flour Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	330	75 ft	83 out of 100 Lake Score
Tioga Mine Pitnear Cohasset	Itasca	49	225 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Gilbert Pitnear Gilbert	St. Louis	243	443 ft	82 out of 100 Lake Score
Long Lakenear Lake Itasca	Clearwater	159	80 ft	80 out of 100 Lake Score
Square Lakenear Stillwater	Washington	203	68 ft	78 out of 100 Lake Score
Hungry Jack Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	474	71 ft	71 out of 100 Lake Score
Burntside Lakenear Ely	St. Louis	7,314	126 ft	87 out of 100 Lake Score
Gunflint Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	4,009	200 ft	86 out of 100 Lake Score
West Battle Lakenear Battle Lake	Otter Tail	5,615	108 ft	81 out of 100 Lake Score
Six Lakenear Frazee	Otter Tail	197	140 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Pickerel Lakenear Lake Itasca	Clearwater	143	60 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Cass Lakenear Cass Lake	Beltrami	15,958	120 ft	92 out of 100 Lake Score
White Bear Lakenear White Bear Lake	Washington	2,428	83 ft	80 out of 100 Lake Score
Pebble Lakenear Fergus Falls	Otter Tail	195	62 ft	78 out of 100 Lake Score
Little Sand Lakenear Dorset	Hubbard	410	80 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Ely Lakenear Eveleth	St. Louis	723	70 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Nisswa Lakenear Nisswa	Crow Wing	219	23 ft	69 out of 100 Lake Score
Frost Lakenear Tofte	Cook	284	88 ft	53 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Elmonear Lake Elmo	Washington	257	140 ft	78 out of 100 Lake Score
Rush Lakenear Cross Lake	Crow Wing	858	105 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
McFarland Lakenear Hovland	Cook	386	49 ft	76 out of 100 Lake Score
McCarron Lakenear Roseville	Ramsey	73	57 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Washburn Lakenear Outing	Cass	1,590	111 ft	83 out of 100 Lake Score
Annie Battle Lakenear Battle Lake	Otter Tail	354	51 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Edwardnear Merrifield	Crow Wing	2,628	75 ft	76 out of 100 Lake Score
Long Lakenear Vergas	Otter Tail	1,289	128 ft	76 out of 100 Lake Score
Round Lakenear Nisswa	Crow Wing	1,650	51 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Pulaskinear Buffalo	Wright	813	87 ft	72 out of 100 Lake Score
Detroit Lakenear Detroit Lakes	Becker	3,067	89 ft	85 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Shamineaunear Motley	Morrison	1,434	52 ft	73 out of 100 Lake Score
Bde Maka Ska Lakenear Minneapolis	Hennepin	424	82 ft	73 out of 100 Lake Score
Echo Lakenear Moose Lake	Carlton	108	47 ft	73 out of 100 Lake Score
Middle Cullen Lakenear Nisswa	Crow Wing	405	48 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Clear Lakenear Gemmell	Koochiching	89	30 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Rainy Lakenear International Falls	St. Louis	210,200	161 ft	89 out of 100 Lake Score
Birch Lakenear Hackensack	Cass	1,267	45 ft	73 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Darlingnear Alexandria	Douglas	1,050	62 ft	73 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Crystalnear Lakeville	Dakota	293	37 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Leech Lakenear Walker	Cass	103,444	150 ft	92 out of 100 Lake Score
Little Boy Lakenear Longville	Cass	1,452	74 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
O'Brien Lakenear Nashwauk	Itasca	539	63 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Big Lakenear Big Lake	Sherburne	254	48 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Grant Lakenear Wilton (Beltrami)	Beltrami	214	92 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Zumbra-Sunny Lakenear Victoria	Carver	271	58 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Miltonanear Leaf Valley	Douglas	5,731	105 ft	83 out of 100 Lake Score
Bear Head Lakenear Tower	St. Louis	662	46 ft	77 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Harrietnear Minneapolis	Hennepin	341	87 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
Many Point Lakenear Ponsford	Becker	1,701	92 ft	81 out of 100 Lake Score
Hill Lakenear Hill City	Aitkin	794	48 ft	76 out of 100 Lake Score
Lower Prior Lakenear Grainwood	Scott	956	60 ft	73 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Genevanear Alexandria	Douglas	640	63 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Brophy Lakenear Alexandria	Douglas	297	44 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Half Moon Lakenear Peary	St. Louis	162	40 ft	43 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Le Homme Dieunear Alexandria	Douglas	1,801	85 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
Turtle Rivernear Turtle River	Beltrami	1,740	63 ft	72 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Annnear Orrock	Sherburne	183	26 ft	71 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Minnetonkanear Mound	Hennepin	14,206	113 ft	85 out of 100 Lake Score
Basswood Lakenear Ely	Lake	25,953	111 ft	76 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Wabedonear Longville	Cass	1,226	95 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
East Twin Lakenear Elk River	Anoka	92	68 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Bush Lakenear Bloomington	Hennepin	171	28 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Goodview Lakenear Winona	Winona	77	26 ft	56 out of 100 Lake Score
East Bearskin Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	593	66 ft	77 out of 100 Lake Score
Whipple Lakenear Baxter	Crow Wing	301	29 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Blandin Lakenear Grand Rapids	Itasca	490	38 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Rebeccanear Rockford	Hennepin	263	30 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
Lobster Lakenear Holmes City	Douglas	1,334	65 ft	71 out of 100 Lake Score
Sawbill Lakenear Tofte	Cook	834	45 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Hoot Lakenear Fergus Falls	Otter Tail	161	20 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Karl Lakenear Grand Marais	Cook	121	70 ft	46 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Bemidjinear Lavinia (Beltrami)	Beltrami	6,596	76 ft	82 out of 100 Lake Score
Mille Lacs Lakenear Garrison	Mille Lacs	128,250	42 ft	81 out of 100 Lake Score
Woman Lakenear Longville	Cass	5,520	54 ft	72 out of 100 Lake Score
Little Pine Lakenear Perham	Otter Tail	2,080	63 ft	71 out of 100 Lake Score
Fenske Lakenear Ely	St. Louis	108	43 ft	69 out of 100 Lake Score
Lower Spunk Lakenear Avon	Stearns	179	28 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake St. Croixnear Stillwater	Washington	8,393	78 ft	83 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Phalennear Saint Paul	Ramsey	198	91 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Bertram Lakenear Monticello	Wright	111	44 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Minnewashtanear Chanhassen	Carver	680	70 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Snail Lakenear Shoreview	Ramsey	158	30 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Cadotte Lakenear Fairbanks	St. Louis	294	18 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Little Hanging Horn Lakenear Barnum	Carlton	114	70 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
St. Louis River Estuarynear Duluth	St. Louis	10,255	55 ft	82 out of 100 Lake Score
Eagle Lakenear Frazee	Becker	320	29 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Big Marine Lakenear Forest Lake	Washington	1,799	60 ft	69 out of 100 Lake Score
Weaver Lakenear Maple Grove	Hennepin	152	57 ft	69 out of 100 Lake Score
North Twin Lakenear Marble	Itasca	239	42 ft	45 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Andrewnear New London	Kandiyohi	759	26 ft	72 out of 100 Lake Score
Auburn Lakenear Victoria	Carver	291	84 ft	72 out of 100 Lake Score
Shagawa Lakenear Ely	St. Louis	2,345	48 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
George Lakenear Saint Francis (Anoka)	Anoka	489	32 ft	65 out of 100 Lake Score
Hyland Lakenear Bloomington	Hennepin	84	12 ft	59 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Josephinenear Roseville	Ramsey	116	44 ft	65 out of 100 Lake Score
Cedar Lakenear Minneapolis	Hennepin	164	51 ft	56 out of 100 Lake Score
Insula Lakenear Ely	Lake	2,840	63 ft	48 out of 100 Lake Score
Alice Lakenear Forest Center	Lake	1,469	53 ft	47 out of 100 Lake Score
Straight Lakenear Osage	Becker	471	63 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
Devils Lakenear Brandon	Douglas	234	35 ft	69 out of 100 Lake Score
South Twin Lakenear Waubun	Mahnomen	1,127	29 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Medicine Lakenear Plymouth	Hennepin	924	49 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Marionnear Lakeville	Dakota	530	21 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Rileynear Chanhassen	Carver	296	49 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Orchard Lakenear Lakeville	Dakota	238	33 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake of the Woodsnear Long Point	Lake of the Woods	725,583	210 ft	84 out of 100 Lake Score
Two Inlets Lakenear Two Inlets	Becker	578	60 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Itascanear Lake Itasca	Clearwater	1,065	40 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Lomond Lakenear Bagley	Clearwater	95	45 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Waconianear Waconia	Carver	3,080	37 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Crooked Lakenear Andover	Anoka	115	26 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Annnear Chanhassen	Carver	116	45 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Birch Lakenear Babbitt	St. Louis	7,074	25 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Byllesbynear Cannon Falls	Dakota	1,368	50 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Minnewaskanear Long Beach	Pope	8,050	32 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Sarahnear Erskine	Polk	366	27 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Tanners Lakenear Landfall	Washington	74	46 ft	62 out of 100 Lake Score
Wright Lakenear Fergus Falls	Otter Tail	67	32 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Farm Lakenear Ely	Lake	1,292	56 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
Shell Lakenear Snellman	Becker	3,147	16 ft	73 out of 100 Lake Score
Fish Lakenear Maple Grove	Hennepin	238	49 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Coon Lakenear Soderville	Anoka	1,481	27 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Pleasant Lakenear Annandale	Wright	597	74 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Bear Creek Reservoirnear Chester	Olmsted	104	37 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Wabasso Lakenear Vadnais Heights	Ramsey	43	66 ft	57 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Pepinnear Lake City	Goodhue	12,299	60 ft	76 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Traversenear Browns Valley	Traverse	10,849	12 ft	75 out of 100 Lake Score
Games Lakenear Sunburg	Kandiyohi	527	42 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Marquette Lakenear Bemidji	Beltrami	528	51 ft	41 out of 100 Lake Score
Whiteface Reservoirnear Markham	St. Louis	4,567	35 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Marynear Holmes City	Douglas	2,450	40 ft	72 out of 100 Lake Score
Maple Lakenear Mentor	Polk	1,641	14 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Nokomisnear Minneapolis	Hennepin	201	33 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Bald Eagle Lakenear Silver Rapids	Lake	1,243	36 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Twin Lakenear Robbinsdale	Hennepin	217	44 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Turtle Lakenear Shoreview	Ramsey	450	28 ft	62 out of 100 Lake Score
Town Lakenear Frazee	Becker	125	15 ft	60 out of 100 Lake Score
Upper Red Lakenear Waskish	Beltrami	119,294	15 ft	76 out of 100 Lake Score
Beaver Lakenear Ellendale	Steele	98	27 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Gervaisnear Little Canada	Ramsey	235	41 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Golden Lakenear Circle Pines	Anoka	58	25 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Silver Lakenear Columbia Heights	Ramsey	71	47 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Snelling Lakenear Saint Paul	Hennepin	103	10 ft	57 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake of the Islesnear Minneapolis	Hennepin	114	31 ft	54 out of 100 Lake Score
Sagatagan Lakenear Collegeville	Stearns	227	42 ft	23 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Osakisnear Osakis	Todd	6,389	73 ft	77 out of 100 Lake Score
Sleepy Eye Lakenear Sleepy Eye	Brown	241	21 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Bryant Lakenear Eden Prairie	Hennepin	180	45 ft	65 out of 100 Lake Score
Bald Eagle Lakenear White Bear Lake	Ramsey	1,049	36 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Long Lakenear New Brighton	Ramsey	173	30 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Big Stone Lakenear Ortonville	Big Stone	11,984	16 ft	77 out of 100 Lake Score
Beebe Lakenear Saint Michael	Wright	323	27 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Carey Lakenear Hibbing	St. Louis	145	14 ft	59 out of 100 Lake Score
Silver Lakenear North Saint Paul	Ramsey	76	18 ft	59 out of 100 Lake Score
Fremont Lakenear Zimmerman	Sherburne	493	8 ft	42 out of 100 Lake Score
Amber Lakenear Forest Center	Lake	121	27 ft	39 out of 100 Lake Score
Poquet Lakenear Hackensack	Cass	145	19 ft	17 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Koronisnear Paynesville	Stearns	2,968	132 ft	74 out of 100 Lake Score
Chisago Lakenear Chisago City	Chisago	944	34 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Fall Lakenear Winton	Lake	2,258	32 ft	67 out of 100 Lake Score
Cameron Lakenear Erskine	Polk	225	9 ft	47 out of 100 Lake Score
Agate Lakenear Lake Shore	Cass	157	9 ft	46 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Independencenear Maple Plain	Hennepin	832	58 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Winonanear Winona	Winona	308	38 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Moosehead Lakenear Moose Lake	Carlton	279	18 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Wellner-Hageman Reservoirnear Dotson	Brown	75	24 ft	60 out of 100 Lake Score
Langdon Lakenear Mound	Hennepin	143	38 ft	48 out of 100 Lake Score
West Moore Lakenear Fridley	Anoka	68	5 ft	48 out of 100 Lake Score
Buffalo Lakenear Buffalo	Wright	1,552	33 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Roy Lakenear Zerkel	Mahnomen	695	16 ft	61 out of 100 Lake Score
Lotus Lakenear Chanhassen	Carver	245	29 ft	60 out of 100 Lake Score
Constance Lakenear Buffalo	Wright	175	23 ft	56 out of 100 Lake Score
Colby Lakenear Hoyt Lakes	St. Louis	518	30 ft	59 out of 100 Lake Score
Virginia Lakenear Victoria	Carver	105	34 ft	54 out of 100 Lake Score
Ogechie Lakenear Vineland	Mille Lacs	409	6 ft	42 out of 100 Lake Score
Albert Lea Lakenear Albert Lea	Freeborn	2,669	6 ft	70 out of 100 Lake Score
Split Rock Reservoirnear Pipestone	Pipestone	96	16 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Long Lakenear Long Lake	Hennepin	285	33 ft	59 out of 100 Lake Score
Lac Lavonnear Burnsville	Dakota	66	32 ft	45 out of 100 Lake Score
Forest Lakenear Forest Lake	Washington	2,271	37 ft	68 out of 100 Lake Score
Bronson Lakenear Lake Bronson	Kittson	312	29 ft	65 out of 100 Lake Score
Duck Lakenear Madison Lake	Blue Earth	290	25 ft	65 out of 100 Lake Score
Centerville Lakenear Centerville (Anoka)	Anoka	474	19 ft	60 out of 100 Lake Score
Cleary Lakenear Prior Lake	Scott	145	9 ft	55 out of 100 Lake Score
Curfman Lakenear Shoreham	Becker	121	24 ft	39 out of 100 Lake Score
Little Rock Lakenear Rice	Benton	1,311	17 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Winsted Lakenear Winsted	McLeod	382	12 ft	58 out of 100 Lake Score
Clear Lakenear Waseca	Waseca	649	34 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Echo Lakenear Buyck	St. Louis	1,142	10 ft	64 out of 100 Lake Score
Eagle Lakenear Young America (subdivision)	Carver	183	14 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Cedar Lakenear New Prague	Scott	793	13 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Willmar Lakenear Willmar	Kandiyohi	636	14 ft	60 out of 100 Lake Score
Staring Lakenear Chanhassen	Hennepin	167	16 ft	55 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Irvingnear Bemidji	Beltrami	662	19 ft	66 out of 100 Lake Score
Okabena Lakenear Worthington	Nobles	776	16 ft	65 out of 100 Lake Score
Talcot Lakenear Dundee	Cottonwood	873	6 ft	63 out of 100 Lake Score
Orono Lakenear Elk River	Sherburne	301	18 ft	55 out of 100 Lake Score
Lake Susannear Chanhassen	Carver	88	17 ft	50 out of 100 Lake Score

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can you swim in Minnesota lakes?

Yes. Minnesota's public waters are open to swimming wherever you have legal access. This page lists 203 lakes with a mapped beach, which is where you will find sand, parking and a marked swim area.

When is the water warm enough to swim?

Most Minnesota lakes are comfortable from mid-June through late August, peaking in late July. Northern and deep lakes warm later and stay cooler; Lake Superior stays cold all summer.

Are Minnesota beaches tested for water quality?

Many city, county and state park beaches are monitored for bacteria in summer and post advisories when counts are high. Avoid swimming after heavy rain and stay out of water with a green, paint-like algae scum.

1.Boot Lake

2.Pelican Lake

3.Gull Lake

4.Lake Carlos

5.St. Mary's Lake

6.Pokegama Lake

7.Flour Lake

8.Tioga Mine Pit

9.Gilbert Pit

10.Long Lake

11.Square Lake

12.Hungry Jack Lake

All 203 lakes

Best Swimming Lakes by county

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can you swim in Minnesota lakes?

When is the water warm enough to swim?

Are Minnesota beaches tested for water quality?