Safest Lakes to Swim Near Brainerd
Minnesota
30 lakes within driving distance of Brainerd, 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.
Brainerd sits in a lake-rich part of the upper Midwest: 30 graded lakes within reach, average grade A. Perch Lake (A) leads the cluster.
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 | Perch Lake | Crow Wing | A | Limited data | 3.3 mi | 15.3 ft | 40 ft |
| 2 | North Long Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 6.7 mi | 15.1 ft | 97 ft |
| 3 | Sorenson Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 7.1 mi | 16.1 ft | 46 ft |
| 4 | Little Hubert Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 8.3 mi | 18 ft | 41 ft |
| 5 | Hubert Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 9.1 mi | 17.1 ft | 83 ft |
| 6 | Gull Lake | Cass | A | Low algae | 9.2 mi | 15 ft | 80 ft |
| 7 | Sylvan Lake | Cass | A | Low algae | 9.6 mi | 19.5 ft | - |
| 8 | Sagamore Mine Lake | Crow Wing | A | Limited data | 9.6 mi | 23.8 ft | 210 ft |
| 9 | Silver Lake | Crow Wing | A | Limited data | 11.1 mi | 17 ft | 23 ft |
| 10 | Edward Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 11.2 mi | 15.5 ft | 75 ft |
| 11 | Lougee Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 13.2 mi | 16.1 ft | 53 ft |
| 12 | Pillager Lake | Cass | A | Low algae | 13.2 mi | 15.1 ft | 39 ft |
| 13 | Lower Cullen Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 13.4 mi | 17.4 ft | 39 ft |
| 14 | Edna Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 13.4 mi | 18 ft | 63 ft |
| 15 | Little Pelican Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 13.8 mi | 17.2 ft | 34 ft |
| 16 | Crooked Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 14.4 mi | 15 ft | 54 ft |
| 17 | East Twin Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 14.5 mi | 15 ft | 45 ft |
| 18 | Serpent Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 15 mi | 25 ft | 65 ft |
| 19 | Bay Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 16.5 mi | 18.5 ft | 74 ft |
| 20 | Island Lake | Crow Wing | A | Limited data | 16.6 mi | - | 36 ft |
| 21 | Partridge Lake | Crow Wing | A | Limited data | 17.4 mi | 16.2 ft | 42 ft |
| 22 | Knieff Lake | Crow Wing | A | Limited data | 17.6 mi | 19 ft | 42 ft |
| 23 | Alexander Lake | Morrison | A | Low algae | 19.3 mi | 16.5 ft | 64 ft |
| 24 | Ossawinnamakee Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 19.6 mi | 20 ft | 63 ft |
| 25 | Clear Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 19.9 mi | 18 ft | 63 ft |
| 26 | Big Pine Lake | Aitkin | A | Low algae | 20.3 mi | 17 ft | 78 ft |
| 27 | Kimball Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 20.4 mi | 18.4 ft | 77 ft |
| 28 | Clamshell Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 21.6 mi | 15.1 ft | 44 ft |
| 29 | Lower Hay Lake | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 21.9 mi | 18.5 ft | 100 ft |
| 30 | Cross Lk Reservoir | Crow Wing | A | Low algae | 21.9 mi | 16.5 ft | - |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.