Best Lakes for Kayaking Near Alexandria
Minnesota
8 kayaking lakes within driving distance of Alexandria, Minnesota, ranked by water quality and kayaking-specific filters. Filtered for grade A, B, or C water quality, public access, and ideal paddling size (30-3,000 acres).
A moderate cluster of 8 graded lakes lies within reach of Alexandria, averaging a grade of B. Carlos Lake (A) is the cleanest of the set.
The kayaking-specific ranking layered on top of the LakeGrade rubric is what produces the list below: a grade-good lake that does not also support the kayaking use case is less useful than a grade-decent lake that does.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carlos Lake | Douglas | A | 4.7 mi | 17.2 ft | - |
| 2 | Moses Lake | Douglas | A | 16 mi | 16.2 ft | - |
| 3 | Blanche Lake | Otter Tail | A | 34.9 mi | 12.5 ft | - |
| 4 | Geneva Lake | Douglas | B | 2.6 mi | 14.1 ft | - |
| 5 | Big Birch Lake | Todd | B | 31.1 mi | 13 ft | - |
| 6 | Ten Mile Lake | Otter Tail | B | 33.3 mi | 13.6 ft | - |
| 7 | Aaron Lake | Douglas | C | 16.3 mi | 7 ft | - |
| 8 | Grove Lake | Pope | C | 21.8 mi | 5.1 ft | - |
Other activities near Alexandria
Swimming near Alexandria →Fishing near Alexandria →Boating near Alexandria →All lakes near Alexandria →
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.