Safest Lakes to Swim in Missouri
Lake Capri (St. Francois County) ranks #1 for swimming in Missouri — grade A water with low algae and public access. Below: the top 25 lakes in Missourithat pass our swim-safety filter (grade A/B, chlorophyll-a below 10 µg/L).
Best-for-swimming on LakeGrade weights water clarity heavily: a swimmer cares whether they can see their feet, whether the water looks inviting on a 90-degree July day, and whether there is a real harmful-algal-bloom risk. The top Missouri swimming lake on current data is Lake Capri (A).
The swimming-best list filters more aggressively on chlorophyll-a than the cleanest list — even very clear lakes can have harmful-algal-bloom risk under specific conditions, so the swimming ranking is more conservative on that front.
| Rank | Lake | County | Grade | Swim Safety | Clarity | Algae | Phosphorus | Area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Capri | St. Francois | A | Low algae | 16.3 ft | 0.9 µg/L | 5.7 µg/L | 112 acres |
| 2 | Lake Shayne-Terre du Lac Lakes | Washington | A | Low algae | 11.1 ft | 1.2 µg/L | 5 µg/L | 51 acres |
| 3 | Lake Marseilles-Terre du Lac Lakes | St. Francois | A | Low algae | 14.1 ft | 2.4 µg/L | 7.4 µg/L | 56 acres |
| 4 | Council Bluff Lake | Iron | A | Low algae | 13.1 ft | 1.3 µg/L | 5.3 µg/L | - |
| 5 | Lake Taneycomo Nr. Roark Cr. | Taney | A | Low algae | 12.6 ft | 0.9 µg/L | 14.5 µg/L | - |
| 6 | Lake Wauwanoka Nr. Dam | Jefferson | A | Low algae | 12.9 ft | 1.7 µg/L | 8 µg/L | 86 acres |
| 7 | Alpine Lake | Warren | A | Low algae | 12.6 ft | 1.5 µg/L | 7 µg/L | 325 acres |
| 8 | Mccormack Lake | Oregon | A | Low algae | 11.7 ft | 3 µg/L | 6 µg/L | 10 acres |
| 9 | Timberline Lakes | St. Francois | A | Low algae | 14.3 ft | 1.6 µg/L | 5.5 µg/L | 42 acres |
| 10 | Lake Taneycomo Ab. Bee Cr. Arm | Taney | A | Low algae | 13.3 ft | 1.1 µg/L | 13 µg/L | - |
| 11 | Fourche Creek Lake | Ripley | A | Low algae | 13.6 ft | 1.3 µg/L | 9 µg/L | 49 acres |
| 12 | Goose Creek Lake | Ste. Genevieve | A | Low algae | 9.9 ft | 2 µg/L | 9.5 µg/L | 379 acres |
| 13 | Port Perry Lake | Perry | A | Low algae | 12 ft | 2.1 µg/L | 8.3 µg/L | 187 acres |
| 14 | Oasis Ranch Upper Lake | Audrain | A | Low algae | 14.4 ft | 1.8 µg/L | 12 µg/L | - |
| 15 | Oasis Ranch Lake | Audrain | A | Low algae | 14.1 ft | 0.9 µg/L | 8 µg/L | - |
| 16 | Lake Taneycomo @ Shepherd of the Hills Fh | Taney | A | Low algae | — | 1.5 µg/L | 21.5 µg/L | - |
| 17 | Lake Taneycomo @ Rockaway Beach | Taney | B | Low algae | 8.7 ft | 1.1 µg/L | 13.5 µg/L | - |
| 18 | Fox Valley Lake | Clark | B | Low algae | 8.5 ft | 3.6 µg/L | 16.5 µg/L | 96 acres |
| 19 | Table Rock Lk. Into Main Channel From Dam Lake | Stone | B | Low algae | 7.2 ft | 4.5 µg/L | 8 µg/L | 43,100 acres |
| 20 | Lake Konstanz | Warren | B | Low algae | 7.7 ft | 1.6 µg/L | 7 µg/L | 19 acres |
| 21 | Bull Shoals Lake | Taney | B | Low algae | 8.1 ft | 4 µg/L | 10 µg/L | - |
| 22 | Table Rock L. Ab. Carter Br. Lake | Barry | B | Low algae | 6.8 ft | 4.3 µg/L | 8.5 µg/L | - |
| 23 | Lake Taneycomo | Taney | B | Low algae | 8.9 ft | 1.2 µg/L | 14.5 µg/L | - |
| 24 | Fellows Lake | Greene | B | Low algae | 7.2 ft | 3.4 µg/L | 12 µg/L | 812 acres |
| 25 | Stockton Lake by Dam | Cedar | B | Low algae | 7.9 ft | 4.7 µg/L | 11 µg/L | 24,900 acres |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best lake to swim in Missouri?
Lake Capri in St. Francois County ranks #1 for swimming-safety in our 2026 Missouri 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 Missouri?
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. Missouri 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 Missouri safe to swim in?
Most monitored Missouri 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 Missouri?
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 Missouri?
Missouri 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 Missouri?
The single cleanest lake by combined water-quality score is featured on the Missouri 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/mo.
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 Swim Safety column adds a direct bacteria signal on top of the grade: where the EPA Water Quality Portal has enough E. coli or fecal-coliform samples, we show a historical swim-safety grade (how often the lake has exceeded the safe-swimming threshold). It is a record of past testing, never a live "safe today" reading — bacteria spike fast after rain.
The ranking within the filter is by combined water-quality score (Secchi clarity + phosphorus + chlorophyll-a). Always check current Missouri DNR advisories before swimming.
Where to swim near a Missouri city
Looking for a lake close to home? These pages rank the safest swim lakes within driving distance of Missouri's largest cities.
Where to stay near Missouri swimming lakes
Book a cabin, resort, or rental near Missouri's cleanest swim lakes — live availability and prices for your beach weekend.
Top-rated places to stay near Missouri swim lakes
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.