Is it safe to swim in lakes near Brainerd?

That is a call for Minnesota's water agency and the county health department, who post current advisories. 30 lakes within driving distance of Brainerd pass the low-algae screen (favourable clarity and nutrient readings, chlorophyll-a under 15 µg/L, public access). The top pick on those readings is Gilbert Lake in Crow Wing County, 1.8 miles away. Bacteria can spike after heavy rain, so always check the current advisories before you swim.

Which lakes near Brainerd have bacteria testing?

None of the lakes near Brainerd have enough recent bacteria samples on record, so these lakes are screened on water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a) instead. Always check posted advisories before swimming.

What is the cleanest swimming lake near Brainerd?

Gilbert Lake (Crow Wing County) is the cleanest swim lake near Brainerd on measured clarity and nutrients, with 14.6 ft of water clarity.

Swimming Lakes Near Brainerd, MN: Clarity, Algae and Bacteria Readings (2026)

30 lakes within driving distance of Brainerd, Minnesota pass the low-algae screen — favourable clarity and nutrient readings, low algae, and public access. 0 have direct bacteria (E. coli) testing on record. Filtered for the clearest, lowest-nutrient readings in the sampling record, low algae (chlorophyll-a under 15 µg/L), and public access. Not a swimming clearance: always check local advisories on the day you swim.

Brainerd sits in a lake-rich part of the upper Midwest: 30 measured lakes within reach. Gilbert Lake carries the lowest nutrient and algae readings of the cluster.

The swimming-specific ranking layered on top of the readings is what produces the list below: a lake with clean readings that does not also support the swimming use case is less useful than a decent one that does.

#	Lake	County	Bacteria	Distance	Clarity	Depth
1	Gilbert Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	1.8 mi	14.6 ft	45 ft
2	White Sand Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	4.3 mi	13 ft	27 ft
3	Red Sand Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	4.4 mi	9 ft	23 ft
4	Middle Whipple Lake	Crow Wing	Limited data	5.1 mi	10 ft	28.7 ft
5	North Long Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	6.7 mi	15.1 ft	97 ft
6	Sorenson Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	7.1 mi	16.1 ft	46 ft
7	Round Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	7.8 mi	13.5 ft	51 ft
8	Dade Lake	Cass	Low algae	8.1 mi	5.2 ft	-
9	Gladstone Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	8.3 mi	10.5 ft	36 ft
10	Hubert Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	9.1 mi	17.1 ft	83 ft
11	Gull Lake	Cass	Limited data	9.2 mi	15 ft	80 ft
12	Sylvan Lake	Cass	Limited data	9.6 mi	19.5 ft	-
13	Clark Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	11.1 mi	11 ft	31 ft
14	Edward Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	11.2 mi	15.5 ft	75 ft
15	Nisswa Lake	Crow Wing	Limited data	12.2 mi	11.5 ft	23 ft
16	Ray Lake	Cass	Limited data	12.8 mi	10.3 ft	27 ft
17	Bass Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	13 mi	13 ft	27 ft
18	Lougee Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	13.2 mi	16.1 ft	53 ft
19	Pillager Lake	Cass	Limited data	13.2 mi	15.1 ft	39 ft
20	Upper Gull Lake	Cass	Limited data	13.4 mi	9.5 ft	54 ft
21	Lower Cullen Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	13.4 mi	17.4 ft	39 ft
22	Edna Lake	Crow Wing	Limited data	13.4 mi	18 ft	63 ft
23	Portage Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	13.5 mi	11.5 ft	37 ft
24	Clearwater Lake	Crow Wing	Limited data	13.8 mi	13 ft	54 ft
25	Little Pelican Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	13.8 mi	17.2 ft	34 ft
26	Middle Cullen Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	13.8 mi	13.5 ft	48 ft
27	West Twin Lake	Crow Wing	Limited data	14.3 mi	13.3 ft	42 ft
28	Crooked Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	14.4 mi	15 ft	54 ft
29	Pelican Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	14.5 mi	14.3 ft	104 ft
30	Upper Mission Lake	Crow Wing	Low algae	14.5 mi	11 ft	36 ft

Other activities near Brainerd

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Where to stay near Brainerd

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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.