Best Lakes for Kayaking Near Brainerd
Minnesota
30 kayaking lakes within driving distance of Brainerd, 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).
Brainerd sits in a lake-rich part of the upper Midwest: 30 graded lakes within reach, average grade A. Gilbert Lake (A) leads the cluster.
Filtered for kayaking, the nearby-lake list narrows further. kayaking-specific signals — fish species, public access, depth profile, motor-boat congestion — interact with the letter grade in different ways depending on the use case.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gilbert Lake | Crow Wing | A | 1.8 mi | 14.6 ft | 45 ft |
| 2 | White Sand Lake | Crow Wing | A | 4.3 mi | 13 ft | 27 ft |
| 3 | Red Sand Lake | Crow Wing | A | 4.4 mi | 9 ft | 23 ft |
| 4 | Middle Whipple Lake | Crow Wing | A | 5.1 mi | 10 ft | 28.7 ft |
| 5 | Sorenson Lake | Crow Wing | A | 7.1 mi | 16.1 ft | 46 ft |
| 6 | Round Lake | Crow Wing | A | 7.8 mi | 13.5 ft | 51 ft |
| 7 | Dade Lake | Cass | A | 8.1 mi | 5.2 ft | - |
| 8 | Gladstone Lake | Crow Wing | A | 8.3 mi | 10.5 ft | 36 ft |
| 9 | Hubert Lake | Crow Wing | A | 9.1 mi | 17.1 ft | 83 ft |
| 10 | Sylvan Lake | Cass | A | 9.6 mi | 19.5 ft | - |
| 11 | Clark Lake | Crow Wing | A | 11.1 mi | 11 ft | 31 ft |
| 12 | Edward Lake | Crow Wing | A | 11.2 mi | 15.5 ft | 75 ft |
| 13 | Nisswa Lake | Crow Wing | A | 12.2 mi | 11.5 ft | 23 ft |
| 14 | Ray Lake | Cass | A | 12.8 mi | 10.3 ft | 27 ft |
| 15 | Bass Lake | Crow Wing | A | 13 mi | 13 ft | 27 ft |
| 16 | Lougee Lake | Crow Wing | A | 13.2 mi | 16.1 ft | 53 ft |
| 17 | Pillager Lake | Cass | A | 13.2 mi | 15.1 ft | 39 ft |
| 18 | Upper Gull Lake | Cass | A | 13.4 mi | 9.5 ft | 54 ft |
| 19 | Lower Cullen Lake | Crow Wing | A | 13.4 mi | 17.4 ft | 39 ft |
| 20 | Edna Lake | Crow Wing | A | 13.4 mi | 18 ft | 63 ft |
| 21 | Portage Lake | Crow Wing | A | 13.5 mi | 11.5 ft | 37 ft |
| 22 | Clearwater Lake | Crow Wing | A | 13.8 mi | 13 ft | 54 ft |
| 23 | Little Pelican Lake | Crow Wing | A | 13.8 mi | 17.2 ft | 34 ft |
| 24 | Middle Cullen Lake | Crow Wing | A | 13.8 mi | 13.5 ft | 48 ft |
| 25 | West Twin Lake | Crow Wing | A | 14.3 mi | 13.3 ft | 42 ft |
| 26 | Crooked Lake | Crow Wing | A | 14.4 mi | 15 ft | 54 ft |
| 27 | Upper Mission Lake | Crow Wing | A | 14.5 mi | 11 ft | 36 ft |
| 28 | East Twin Lake | Crow Wing | A | 14.5 mi | 15 ft | 45 ft |
| 29 | Upper Cullen Lake | Crow Wing | A | 14.5 mi | 8.7 ft | 40 ft |
| 30 | Serpent Lake | Crow Wing | A | 15 mi | 25 ft | 65 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.