Safest Lakes to Swim Near Bemidji
Minnesota
30 lakes within driving distance of Bemidji, 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 Bemidji 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 LakeGrade rubric 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 | Newman Lake | Hubbard | A | Low algae | 7 mi | 17.1 ft | 63 ft |
| 2 | Swenson Lake | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 9.1 mi | 20.7 ft | 76 ft |
| 3 | Midge Lake | Hubbard | A | Low algae | 9.9 mi | 18 ft | 24 ft |
| 4 | Andrusia Lake | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 10.6 mi | 15.1 ft | 60 ft |
| 5 | Cass Lake Allens Bay | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 12.4 mi | 16.6 ft | 120 ft |
| 6 | South Twin Lake | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 15.7 mi | 16.7 ft | 45 ft |
| 7 | North Twin Lake | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 15.8 mi | 17.4 ft | 59 ft |
| 8 | Buzzle Lake | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 15.8 mi | 17.1 ft | 83 ft |
| 9 | Cass Lake | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 16.5 mi | 18.5 ft | 120 ft |
| 10 | Mary Lake | Hubbard | A | Limited data | 18.7 mi | 18.8 ft | 48 ft |
| 11 | Moose Lake | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 19.6 mi | 15.1 ft | 71 ft |
| 12 | Twenty-One Lake | Hubbard | A | Low algae | 21.7 mi | 17 ft | 51.5 ft |
| 13 | Long Lake | Clearwater | A | Low algae | 23.8 mi | 20.5 ft | 80 ft |
| 14 | Beauty Lake | Hubbard | A | Limited data | 24.2 mi | 21 ft | 53 ft |
| 15 | Ozawindib Lake | Clearwater | A | Low algae | 24.8 mi | 19 ft | 80 ft |
| 16 | Kinney Lake | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 25.2 mi | 15 ft | - |
| 17 | Kabekona Bay Lake | Cass | A | Low algae | 25.7 mi | 17.2 ft | 150 ft |
| 18 | Kesagiagan Lake | Beltrami | A | Limited data | 26.3 mi | - | - |
| 19 | Lone Lake | Clearwater | A | Low algae | 26.6 mi | 19.4 ft | 70 ft |
| 20 | Green Lake | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 26.7 mi | 18.5 ft | - |
| 21 | Squaw Smith Lake | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 26.7 mi | 20 ft | - |
| 22 | Sandy Lake | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 27.1 mi | 16 ft | - |
| 23 | Island Lake | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 27.2 mi | 16 ft | - |
| 24 | Skunk Lake | Hubbard | A | Low algae | 27.4 mi | 16.5 ft | 55 ft |
| 25 | Shemahgun Lake | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 27.6 mi | 15 ft | - |
| 26 | Laxon Lake | Beltrami | A | Limited data | 27.7 mi | - | - |
| 27 | Grass Island Lake | Beltrami | A | Limited data | 27.8 mi | - | - |
| 28 | Little Mantrap Lake | Hubbard | A | Low algae | 27.9 mi | 17 ft | 54 ft |
| 29 | Little Thunder Lake | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 28.1 mi | 15 ft | - |
| 30 | Fullers Lake: East Basin | Beltrami | A | Low algae | 28.3 mi | 15 ft | - |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.