Best Lakes for Boating Near Detroit Lakes
Minnesota
30 boating lakes within driving distance of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, 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.
Within reasonable driving distance of Detroit Lakes sit 30 graded lakes — a lake-dense area that gives residents real choice on any given weekend. The average grade across the nearby set is A.
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 | Long Lake | Becker | A | 2.2 mi | 19.3 ft | 61 ft |
| 2 | Long Lake | Becker | A | 2.6 mi | 15.1 ft | 61 ft |
| 3 | Pickerel Lake | Becker | A | 6.6 mi | 18 ft | 74 ft |
| 4 | Maud Lake | Becker | A | 8 mi | 17 ft | 32 ft |
| 5 | Six Lake | Otter Tail | A | 8 mi | 21 ft | 140 ft |
| 6 | Scalp Lake | Otter Tail | A | 9.3 mi | 20 ft | 90 ft |
| 7 | Big Cormorant Lake | Becker | A | 10.5 mi | 24.8 ft | 75 ft |
| 8 | Rose Lake | Otter Tail | A | 11.1 mi | 16 ft | 137 ft |
| 9 | Pelican Lake | Otter Tail | A | 11.5 mi | 16.4 ft | 55 ft |
| 10 | Fish Lake | Otter Tail | A | 12 mi | 18 ft | 69 ft |
| 11 | Little Toad Lake | Becker | A | 13.3 mi | 15 ft | 65 ft |
| 12 | Middle Cormorant Lake | Becker | A | 13.4 mi | 15.1 ft | 40 ft |
| 13 | Sybil Lake | Otter Tail | A | 13.4 mi | 20 ft | 74 ft |
| 14 | Lizzie Lake | Otter Tail | A | 14.7 mi | 16.4 ft | 66 ft |
| 15 | Big Sugar Bush Lake | Becker | A | 15.7 mi | 16.5 ft | 42 ft |
| 16 | Turtle Lake | Becker | A | 15.7 mi | 23 ft | 73 ft |
| 17 | Little Mcdonald Lake | Otter Tail | A | 15.7 mi | 26.5 ft | 109 ft |
| 18 | Island Lake | Becker | A | 16.6 mi | 15 ft | 38 ft |
| 19 | Big Mcdonald Lake | Otter Tail | A | 17 mi | 17.4 ft | 46 ft |
| 20 | West Mcdonald Lake | Otter Tail | A | 17 mi | 16.2 ft | 62 ft |
| 21 | East Silent Lake | Otter Tail | A | 18.3 mi | 19.2 ft | 48 ft |
| 22 | Strawberry Lake | Becker | A | 18.6 mi | 17.5 ft | 40 ft |
| 23 | West Silent Lake | Otter Tail | A | 18.7 mi | 18 ft | 58 ft |
| 24 | Star Lake | Otter Tail | A | 19.9 mi | 17 ft | 94 ft |
| 25 | White Earth Lake | Becker | A | 22.3 mi | 15 ft | 120 ft |
| 26 | Juggler Lake | Becker | A | 28.5 mi | 18 ft | 78 ft |
| 27 | Pickerel Lake | Clearwater | A | 29.4 mi | 16.1 ft | 60 ft |
| 28 | Jewett Lake | Otter Tail | A | 29.7 mi | 17.7 ft | 75 ft |
| 29 | Bad Medicine Lake | Becker | A | 30.4 mi | 25 ft | 84 ft |
| 30 | Boot Lake | Becker | A | 32.3 mi | 19.5 ft | 109 ft |
Other activities near Detroit Lakes
Where to stay near Detroit Lakes
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Detroit Lakes — book a place close to the best-rated lakes in the area.
Top-rated places to stay near Detroit Lakes
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip to Detroit Lakes?
Get lake water-quality report cards plus the best cabin & lodging deals near Detroit Lakes — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.