Largest Lakes in Minnesota: Top 25 Ranked by Surface Area (2026)
Lake Winnibigoshish in Cass County is the largest fully-monitored lake in our Minnesota dataset at 68,000 acres. Lake of the Woods is technically larger but spans the U.S.–Canada border. Below: the 25 largest monitored Minnesota lakes by surface area.
Top 25 Largest Minnesota Lakes
Ranked by surface area (acres).
- 1. Lake Winnibigoshish — 68,000 acres (Cass County, Grade B)
- 2. Otter Tail Lake — 14,745 acres (Otter Tail County, Grade A)
- 3. Gull Lake — 13,000 acres (Cass County, Grade A)
- 4. Pokegama Lake — 13,000 acres (Itasca County, Grade A)
The Big Three: Red Lake, Mille Lacs, Leech Lake
Three Minnesota lakes consistently rank near the top of any size list: Red Lake (split into Upper and Lower), Mille Lacs Lake, and Leech Lake. Each supports a distinct walleye fishery and economy. Mille Lacs has been the subject of decades of fishery management debate around tribal treaty rights and population recovery.