Best Lakes for Kayaking Near Detroit
Michigan
8 kayaking lakes within driving distance of Detroit, Michigan, ranked by water quality and kayaking-specific filters. Filtered for grade A, B, or C water quality, public access, and ideal paddling size (30-3,000 acres).
A moderate cluster of 8 graded lakes lies within reach of Detroit, averaging a grade of B. Oxbow Lake (A) is the cleanest of the set.
Filtered for kayaking, the nearby-lake list narrows further. kayaking-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 | Oxbow Lake | Oakland | A | 31.1 mi | 15 ft | - |
| 2 | Wormer Lake | Oakland | B | 29.1 mi | 10 ft | - |
| 3 | Mohawk Lake | Oakland | B | 29.1 mi | 11 ft | - |
| 4 | Cedar Island Lake | Oakland | B | 30.3 mi | 10.5 ft | - |
| 5 | Lake Orion | Oakland | B | 32.6 mi | 13 ft | - |
| 6 | Lakeville Lake Central Basin | Oakland | B | 34.8 mi | 9.5 ft | - |
| 7 | Lakeville Lake | Oakland | C | 34.9 mi | 8.8 ft | - |
| 8 | Whitmore Lake | Livingston | C | 36.7 mi | 9 ft | - |
Other activities near Detroit
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.