Safest Lakes to Swim Near Duluth
Minnesota
16 lakes within driving distance of Duluth, Minnesota pass our swim-safety screen — grade A/B water, low algae, and public access. 0 have direct bacteria (E. coli) testing on record. 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 16 graded lakes lies within reach of Duluth, averaging a grade of B. Superior Lake (A) is the cleanest of the set.
The swimming-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 swimming use case is less useful than a grade-decent lake that does.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Swim Safety | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Superior Lake | St. Louis | A | Limited data | 3.3 mi | - | - |
| 2 | Pike Lake | St. Louis | A | Limited data | 11 mi | 18 ft | 60 ft |
| 3 | Smith Lake | St. Louis | A | Limited data | 26.8 mi | 15 ft | 51 ft |
| 4 | Big Lake | Carlton | A | Low algae | 25.7 mi | 10 ft | 25 ft |
| 5 | Third Lake | Carlton | B | Low algae | 19.7 mi | 8.5 ft | - |
| 6 | Caribou Lake | St. Louis | B | Limited data | 12.5 mi | 10.5 ft | 21 ft |
| 7 | Lk Superior Lake | Douglas | B | Limited data | 13.1 mi | - | - |
| 8 | Chub Lake | Carlton | B | Limited data | 20.5 mi | 13.7 ft | 28 ft |
| 9 | Winkle Lake | St. Louis | B | Limited data | 25.7 mi | - | - |
| 10 | Lake Nebagamon | Douglas | B | Low algae | 27 mi | 7 ft | 56 ft |
| 11 | Lac Lake | Carlton | B | Low algae | 28.3 mi | 9.5 ft | - |
| 12 | Park Lake | Carlton | B | Low algae | 28.5 mi | 7 ft | 16 ft |
| 13 | Loon Lake | St. Louis | B | Low algae | 29.6 mi | 6.6 ft | - |
| 14 | West Twin Lake | St. Louis | B | Low algae | 23.2 mi | 6.2 ft | 18 ft |
| 15 | Twin Lake | St. Louis | B | Low algae | 15 mi | 3.6 ft | - |
| 16 | Lake Minnesuing | Douglas | B | Low algae | 27.5 mi | 6.2 ft | 43 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.