Best Swimming Lakes in Minnesota
East Fox Lake (Crow Wing County) ranks #1 for swimming in Minnesota — grade A water with low algae and public access. Below: the top 25 lakes in Minnesotathat pass our swim-safety filter (grade A/B, chlorophyll-a below 10 µg/L).
| Rank | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity | Algae | Phosphorus | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Fox Lake | Crow Wing | A | 16.1 ft | — | 10 µg/L | 240.88 acres |
| 2 | Deep Portage Lake | Cass | A | 15.4 ft | — | 10 µg/L | 129.02 acres |
| 3 | Little Wabana Lake | Itasca | A | 23.8 ft | — | 6.5 µg/L | 115.73 acres |
| 4 | Clearwater Lake | Cook | A | 30 ft | — | 4 µg/L | 461.73 acres |
| 5 | Lower Hay Lake | Crow Wing | A | 19 ft | — | 13 µg/L | 700.21 acres |
| 6 | Latoka Lake | Douglas | A | 19 ft | — | 11 µg/L | 766.63 acres |
| 7 | Bad Medicine Lake | Becker | A | 25 ft | — | 6 µg/L | 803.03 acres |
| 8 | Big Sugar Bush Lake | Becker | A | 17 ft | — | 10 µg/L | 521.51 acres |
| 9 | Pelican Lake | Otter Tail | A | 16.1 ft | — | 15 µg/L | 4.0K acres |
| 10 | Fullers Lake: East Basin | Beltrami | A | 49.2 ft | — | 9.5 µg/L | - |
| 11 | Birch Lake | Wright | A | 15 ft | — | 17 µg/L | 99.82 acres |
| 12 | Birch Lake | Cook | A | 18 ft | — | 8 µg/L | 236.31 acres |
| 13 | Round Lake | Cook | A | 16.5 ft | — | 8.5 µg/L | 154.48 acres |
| 14 | Round Lake | Beltrami | A | 59.1 ft | — | 7 µg/L | 181.06 acres |
| 15 | Pike Lake | Cook | A | 17.8 ft | — | 6 µg/L | 814.43 acres |
| 16 | Whitefish Lake | Crow Wing | A | 15.1 ft | — | 14 µg/L | 7.7K acres |
| 17 | Long Lake | Clearwater | A | 20 ft | — | 7 µg/L | 158.86 acres |
| 18 | Long Lake | Cass | A | 21.8 ft | — | 9 µg/L | 1.0K acres |
| 19 | Long Lake | Beltrami | A | 20 ft | — | 7 µg/L | 411.95 acres |
| 20 | Long Lake | Becker | A | 20 ft | — | 8 µg/L | 414.51 acres |
| 21 | Long Lake | Beltrami | A | 45.9 ft | — | 8 µg/L | - |
| 22 | Long Lake | Itasca | A | 16.7 ft | — | 8 µg/L | 155.28 acres |
| 23 | Long Lake | Itasca | A | 16.9 ft | — | 10 µg/L | 134.49 acres |
| 24 | Dead Lake | Hubbard | A | 16 ft | — | 10 µg/L | 130.64 acres |
| 25 | Unnamed Lake | Otter Tail | A | 15.1 ft | — | 9 µg/L | 1.4K acres |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best lake to swim in Minnesota?
East Fox Lake in Crow Wing County ranks #1 for swimming-safety in our 2026 Minnesota dataset, combining grade-A water clarity with low algae and public access. The full top 25 above ranks the swim-safest lakes statewide.
How do you know if a lake is safe to swim in Minnesota?
Three signals: (1) water clarity — Secchi depth above 6 feet is a strong sign of low suspended sediment and pathogens; (2) chlorophyll-a below 10 µg/L means low risk of harmful algae bloom; (3) a current grade of A or B from year-round sampling. Minnesota DNR and county health departments post seasonal advisories — always check before you swim, especially in late summer when blue-green algae bloom risk peaks.
Are lakes in Minnesota safe to swim in?
Most monitored Minnesota lakes are safe to swim in under normal conditions, but water quality varies widely. The lakes ranked above are filtered to grade A and B with chlorophyll-a below 10 µg/L — meaning they consistently test cleaner and have lower algae bloom risk than the state average. Always check posted advisories before swimming and avoid water after heavy rain (bacterial contamination spikes from runoff).
What lakes have algae blooms in Minnesota?
Algae blooms (especially blue-green / cyanobacteria) are most common in shallow, warm, nutrient-rich (eutrophic) lakes during late summer. Lakes with high phosphorus and chlorophyll-a measurements are at higher risk. The lakes on this page are filtered to exclude high-algae lakes. For the opposite list, see our most-polluted-lakes trend page.
When is it safe to swim in lakes in Minnesota?
Minnesota lakes are typically safest to swim in late spring through early summer (May–July), when water is cool and algae bloom risk is lowest. Risk rises in late summer and early fall (August–September) when warm water and accumulated nutrients drive cyanobacteria blooms. Always avoid swimming after heavy rainfall (bacterial spikes from runoff) and check current state DNR advisories the day you go.
What's the cleanest lake in Minnesota?
The single cleanest lake by combined water-quality score is featured on the Minnesota cleanest-lakes page. The lakes here are filtered specifically for swimming safety — same A/B grade requirement, plus low chlorophyll-a (active algae filter). For the broader cleanliness ranking, see /best/cleanest/mi.
Our swimming-safety filter
We don't just rank by overall grade. Lakes here have to pass three filters:
- Grade A or B overall water quality (top 40% statewide)
- Chlorophyll-a below 10 µg/L — actively low algae density, low risk of harmful blue-green blooms
- Multi-year sampling data — excludes lakes with limited sampling history (data confidence)
The ranking within the filter is by combined water-quality score (Secchi clarity + phosphorus + chlorophyll-a). Always check current Minnesota DNR advisories before swimming.