Best Lakes for Boating Near Duluth
Minnesota
14 boating lakes within driving distance of Duluth, 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.
A moderate cluster of 14 graded lakes lies within reach of Duluth, averaging a grade of B. Smith Lake (A) 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 | Smith Lake | St. Louis | A | 26.8 mi | 15 ft | - |
| 2 | Middle Eau Claire Lake | Bayfield | A | 43.5 mi | 17.3 ft | - |
| 3 | Lower Eau Claire Lake | Bayfield | A | 44.1 mi | 18.5 ft | - |
| 4 | Upper Eau Claire Lake | Bayfield | A | 44.4 mi | 18.7 ft | - |
| 5 | Ely Lake | St. Louis | A | 49.2 mi | 16 ft | - |
| 6 | Whitewater Lake | St. Louis | A | 50 mi | 15.4 ft | - |
| 7 | Lower Eau Claire Lake | Bayfield | A | 43.7 mi | 14.1 ft | - |
| 8 | Park Lake | Carlton | B | 28.5 mi | 7 ft | - |
| 9 | Saint Croix Flowage Lake | Douglas | B | 38.1 mi | 10.5 ft | - |
| 10 | Inch Lake | Bayfield | B | 40.9 mi | 14.1 ft | - |
| 11 | Flynn Lake | Bayfield | C | 41.1 mi | 9 ft | - |
| 12 | Minong Flowage Lake | Washburn | C | 44.9 mi | 3.5 ft | - |
| 13 | Esquagama Lake | St. Louis | D | 48.2 mi | 3.5 ft | - |
| 14 | Thomson Reservoir | Carlton | F | 16.3 mi | 3 ft | - |
Other activities near Duluth
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.