Best Lakes for Swimming Near Chicago
Illinois
10 swimming lakes within driving distance of Chicago, Illinois, ranked by water quality and swimming-specific filters. 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.
A moderate cluster of 10 graded lakes lies within reach of Chicago, averaging a grade of B. Diversey Harbor Lake (A) is the cleanest of the set.
Filtered for swimming, the nearby-lake list narrows further. swimming-specific signals — fish species, public access, depth profile, motor-boat congestion — interact with the LakeGrade rubric in different ways depending on the use case.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Diversey Harbor Lake | Cook | A | 3.4 mi | 25.6 ft | - |
| 2 | Middle Lagoon Lake | Lake | A | 25.9 mi | - | - |
| 3 | Axehead Lake | Cook | A | 15.1 mi | 11.9 ft | - |
| 4 | Powderhorn Lake | Cook | A | 17.2 mi | 10.1 ft | - |
| 5 | Lake Calumet | Cook | B | 14.2 mi | - | - |
| 6 | Wampum Lake | Cook | B | 21.1 mi | 6.9 ft | - |
| 7 | Grand Calumet Lagoon Lake | Lake | B | 26.2 mi | - | - |
| 8 | Calumet Lake | Cook | B | 14 mi | 4.3 ft | - |
| 9 | Flatfoot Lake | Cook | B | 16 mi | 6.3 ft | - |
| 10 | Opeka Lake | Cook | B | 16.6 mi | 3.9 ft | - |
Other activities near Chicago
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.