Best Lakes for Boating Near Des Moines
Iowa
14 boating lakes within driving distance of Des Moines, Iowa, ranked by water quality and boating-specific filters. Filtered for at least 100 acres and public access. The largest lakes with boat-worthy water are listed first.
A moderate cluster of 14 graded lakes lies within reach of Des Moines, averaging a grade of F. Dale Maffitt Reservoir (B) is the cleanest of the set.
The boating-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 boating use case is less useful than a grade-decent lake that does.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dale Maffitt Reservoir | Dallas | B | 9.9 mi | 9.8 ft | - |
| 2 | Hickory Grove Lake | Story | D | 31 mi | 3.6 ft | - |
| 3 | Easter Lake | Polk | D | 4.5 mi | 2.9 ft | - |
| 4 | West Lake Osceola | Clarke | D | 38.9 mi | 2.2 ft | - |
| 5 | Three Mile Lake | Union | D | 46.9 mi | 2.7 ft | - |
| 6 | Big Creek Lake | Polk | F | 15.3 mi | 2.6 ft | - |
| 7 | Badger Creek Max Depth Lake | Madison | F | 16.9 mi | 1.6 ft | - |
| 8 | Lake Ahquabi | Warren | F | 20.3 mi | 1.8 ft | - |
| 9 | Roberts Creek Lake | Marion | F | 31.9 mi | 1.5 ft | - |
| 10 | Rock Creek Max Depth Lake | Jasper | F | 41.1 mi | 1.1 ft | - |
| 11 | Rock Creek Beach Lake | Jasper | F | 41.3 mi | 1.1 ft | - |
| 12 | Don Williams Lake | Boone | F | 41.6 mi | 1.8 ft | - |
| 13 | Morris Lake | Lucas | F | 44 mi | 1.6 ft | - |
| 14 | Twelve Mile Lake | Union | F | 49.1 mi | 2.4 ft | - |
Other activities near Des Moines
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.