Best Lakes Near Brainerd, MN
50 lakes within 50 miles of Brainerd ranked by water quality grade.
Brainerd sits in a lake-rich part of the upper Midwest: 50 graded lakes within reach, average grade A. Perch Lake (A) leads the cluster.
The lakes below are sorted by composite LakeGrade rubric score. If you have a specific activity in mind — swimming, kayaking, ice-fishing, family-fishing — the activity-specific sub-pages will filter further.
| Lake | Distance | County | Grade | Depth | Fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perch Lake | 3.3 mi | Crow Wing | A | 40 ft | 12 |
| North Long Lake | 6.7 mi | Crow Wing | A | 97 ft | 18 |
| Sorenson Lake | 7.1 mi | Crow Wing | A | 46 ft | 0 |
| Little Hubert Lake | 8.3 mi | Crow Wing | A | 41 ft | 0 |
| Hubert Lake | 9.1 mi | Crow Wing | A | 83 ft | 16 |
| Gull Lake | 9.2 mi | Cass | A | 80 ft | 22 |
| Sylvan Lake | 9.6 mi | Cass | A | - | 0 |
| Sagamore Mine Lake | 9.6 mi | Crow Wing | A | 210 ft | 11 |
| Silver Lake | 11.1 mi | Crow Wing | A | 23 ft | 6 |
| Edward Lake | 11.2 mi | Crow Wing | A | 75 ft | 15 |
| Lougee Lake | 13.2 mi | Crow Wing | A | 53 ft | 11 |
| Pillager Lake | 13.2 mi | Cass | A | 39 ft | 12 |
| Lower Cullen Lake | 13.4 mi | Crow Wing | A | 39 ft | 16 |
| Edna Lake | 13.4 mi | Crow Wing | A | 63 ft | 10 |
| Little Pelican Lake | 13.8 mi | Crow Wing | A | 34 ft | 12 |
| Bonnie Lake | 14 mi | Crow Wing | A | 42 ft | 7 |
| West Twin Lake | 14.4 mi | Crow Wing | A | - | 0 |
| Crooked Lake | 14.4 mi | Crow Wing | A | 54 ft | 16 |
| East Twin Lake | 14.5 mi | Crow Wing | A | 45 ft | 10 |
| Serpent Lake | 15 mi | Crow Wing | A | 65 ft | 17 |
| Placid Lake | 15.8 mi | Crow Wing | A | 39 ft | 0 |
| Bay Lake | 16.5 mi | Crow Wing | A | 74 ft | 13 |
| Island Lake | 16.6 mi | Crow Wing | A | 36 ft | 9 |
| Hamlet Lake | 17.4 mi | Crow Wing | A | 88 ft | 0 |
| Partridge Lake | 17.4 mi | Crow Wing | A | 42 ft | 10 |
| Knieff Lake | 17.6 mi | Crow Wing | A | 42 ft | 0 |
| Alexander Lake | 19.3 mi | Morrison | A | 64 ft | 19 |
| Ossawinnamakee Lake | 19.6 mi | Crow Wing | A | 63 ft | 18 |
| Clear Lake | 19.9 mi | Crow Wing | A | 63 ft | 15 |
| Big Pine Lake | 20.3 mi | Aitkin | A | 78 ft | 15 |
| Kimball Lake | 20.4 mi | Crow Wing | A | 77 ft | 16 |
| Bass Lake | 20.7 mi | Crow Wing | A | 47 ft | 14 |
| Little Star Lake | 20.7 mi | Crow Wing | A | 30 ft | 13 |
| Star Lake | 20.8 mi | Crow Wing | A | 83 ft | 12 |
| Little Round Lake | 21 mi | Crow Wing | A | - | 0 |
| Bertha Lake | 21.1 mi | Crow Wing | A | 64 ft | 22 |
| Clamshell Lake | 21.6 mi | Crow Wing | A | 44 ft | 18 |
| Lower Hay Lake | 21.9 mi | Crow Wing | A | 100 ft | 21 |
| Cross Lk Reservoir | 21.9 mi | Crow Wing | A | - | 0 |
| Lower Hay Lake | 21.9 mi | Crow Wing | A | 100 ft | 21 |
| Pig Lake | 22 mi | Crow Wing | A | 56 ft | 20 |
| Rush Lake | 23.3 mi | Crow Wing | A | 105 ft | 21 |
| Hen Lake | 23.5 mi | Crow Wing | A | 105 ft | 21 |
| O'Brien Lake | 23.8 mi | Crow Wing | A | - | 0 |
| Island Lake | 24.6 mi | Crow Wing | A | 76 ft | 19 |
| Big Trout Lake | 24.8 mi | Crow Wing | A | 128 ft | 20 |
| Lone Lake | 27 mi | Aitkin | A | 60 ft | 14 |
| West Fox Lake | 27.1 mi | Crow Wing | A | 55 ft | 15 |
| East Fox Lake | 27.3 mi | Crow Wing | A | 65 ft | 15 |
| Ruth Lake | 29.4 mi | Crow Wing | A | 39 ft | 12 |
Top-Rated Lakes Near Brainerd
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many lakes are near Brainerd?
There are 50 graded lakes within 50 miles of Brainerd, Minnesota. 50 of these have an A water quality grade (excellent).
What are the best lakes near Brainerd for fishing?
40 lakes near Brainerd have documented fish species data. The best fishing lakes combine good water quality grades with diverse fish populations. 40 lakes within 50 miles have 5 or more documented fish species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.