Safest Lakes to Swim Near Alexandria
Minnesota
30 lakes within driving distance of Alexandria, Minnesota pass our swim-safety screen — grade A/B water, low algae, and public access. 0 have direct bacteria (E. coli) testing on record. Filtered for grade A or B water quality, low algae (chlorophyll-a under 15 µg/L), and public access. Always check local advisories on the day you swim.
Within reasonable driving distance of Alexandria sit 30 graded lakes — a lake-dense area that gives residents real choice on any given weekend. The average grade across the nearby set is A.
The swimming-specific ranking layered on top of the letter grade is what produces the list below: a grade-good lake that does not also support the swimming use case is less useful than a grade-decent lake that does.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Swim Safety | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cowdry Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 2.2 mi | 17.1 ft | 52 ft |
| 2 | Geneva Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 2.6 mi | 14.1 ft | 63 ft |
| 3 | Lottie Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 2.6 mi | 16.1 ft | 31 ft |
| 4 | Latoka Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 2.9 mi | 19 ft | 108 ft |
| 5 | Burgen Lake | Douglas | A | Limited data | 3.3 mi | 12 ft | 43 ft |
| 6 | Brophy Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 3.5 mi | 15.4 ft | 44 ft |
| 7 | Louise Lake | Douglas | A | Limited data | 3.5 mi | 14.5 ft | 33 ft |
| 8 | Le Homme Dieu Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 3.6 mi | 13.1 ft | 85 ft |
| 9 | Andrew Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 4.8 mi | 13.9 ft | 83 ft |
| 10 | Carlos Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 5.3 mi | 18 ft | 163 ft |
| 11 | Lobster Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 7.1 mi | 13 ft | 65 ft |
| 12 | Mary Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 7.1 mi | 10.5 ft | 40 ft |
| 13 | Maple Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 7.5 mi | 14.1 ft | 78 ft |
| 14 | Ida Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 7.8 mi | 16.4 ft | 106 ft |
| 15 | Crooked Lake | Douglas | A | Limited data | 8.9 mi | 14 ft | 35 ft |
| 16 | Blackwell Lake | Douglas | A | Limited data | 9.4 mi | 11.5 ft | 42 ft |
| 17 | Rachel Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 10.1 mi | 7.9 ft | 65 ft |
| 18 | Chippewa Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 10.8 mi | 14.8 ft | 95 ft |
| 19 | Miltona Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 10.8 mi | 18.7 ft | 105 ft |
| 20 | Moon Lake | Douglas | A | Limited data | 11.2 mi | 21 ft | 38 ft |
| 21 | South Oscar Lake | Douglas | A | Limited data | 11.4 mi | 16.7 ft | - |
| 22 | Vermont Lake | Douglas | A | Low algae | 13.8 mi | 14.1 ft | 59 ft |
| 23 | Scandinavian Lake | Pope | A | Low algae | 16.3 mi | 7.9 ft | - |
| 24 | Minnewaska Lake | Pope | A | Low algae | 18 mi | 11 ft | 32 ft |
| 25 | Nelson Lake | Otter Tail | A | Limited data | 18.9 mi | 10 ft | - |
| 26 | Eagle Lake | Otter Tail | A | Low algae | 24.8 mi | 22.6 ft | 46 ft |
| 27 | Signalness Lake | Pope | A | Low algae | 24.8 mi | 10.7 ft | 14 ft |
| 28 | Crane Lake | Otter Tail | A | Low algae | 26.5 mi | 9 ft | 43 ft |
| 29 | Linka Lake | Pope | A | Low algae | 27.2 mi | 10.2 ft | 50 ft |
| 30 | Little Birch Lake | Todd | A | Low algae | 28.9 mi | 13 ft | 89 ft |
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Where to stay near Alexandria
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.