Swimming Lakes Near Duluth
Minnesota
5 lakes within driving distance of Duluth, Minnesota pass the low-algae screen — favourable clarity and nutrient readings, low algae, and public access. 0 have direct bacteria (E. coli) testing on record. Filtered for the clearest, lowest-nutrient readings in the sampling record, low algae (chlorophyll-a under 15 µg/L), and public access. Not a swimming clearance: always check local advisories on the day you swim.
A moderate cluster of 5 measured lakes lies within reach of Duluth. Third Lake has the lowest nutrient and algae readings of the set.
The swimming-specific ranking layered on top of the readings is what produces the list below: a lake with clean readings that does not also support the swimming use case is less useful than a decent one that does.
| # | Lake | County | Bacteria | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Third Lake | Carlton | Low algae | 19.7 mi | 8.5 ft | - |
| 2 | Big Lake | Carlton | Low algae | 25.7 mi | 10 ft | 25 ft |
| 3 | Park Lake | Carlton | Low algae | 28.5 mi | 7 ft | 16 ft |
| 4 | Nichols Lake | St. Louis | Limited data | 29.7 mi | 5.1 ft | 31 ft |
| 5 | West Twin Lake | St. Louis | Low algae | 23.2 mi | 6.2 ft | 18 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.