Best Lakes Near Ely, MN
50 lakes within 50 miles of Ely ranked by water quality grade.
Within reasonable driving distance of Ely sit 50 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 lakes below are sorted by composite LakeGrade rubric score. If you have a specific activity in mind — swimming, kayaking, ice-fishing, family-fishing — the activity-specific sub-pages will filter further.
| Lake | Distance | County | Grade | Depth | Fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Long Lake | 2.8 mi | St. Louis | A | 45 ft | 11 |
| Burntside Lake | 6 mi | St. Louis | A | 126 ft | 15 |
| Little Armstrong Lake | 9.9 mi | St. Louis | A | 26 ft | 2 |
| Armstrong Lake | 10.4 mi | St. Louis | A | 34 ft | 10 |
| Eagles Nest Lake | 12 mi | St. Louis | A | 49 ft | 9 |
| Tofte Lake | 14.3 mi | Lake | A | 73 ft | 3 |
| Indiana Lake | 14.7 mi | Lake | A | 31 ft | 7 |
| Clearwater Lake | 15.7 mi | Lake | A | 46 ft | 0 |
| Dunnigan Lake | 17.5 mi | Lake | A | - | 5 |
| Meander Lake | 20.6 mi | St. Louis | A | - | 4 |
| Parent Lake | 22.4 mi | Lake | A | 50 ft | 9 |
| Birch Lake | 24.5 mi | Unknown | A | 34 ft | 10 |
| Boot Lake | 24.8 mi | Lake | A | 83 ft | 0 |
| Ahsub Lake | 25 mi | Lake | A | 78 ft | 6 |
| 38-0502-00 Lake | 26.6 mi | Lake | A | 59 ft | 0 |
| Vera Lake | 27.7 mi | Lake | A | 55 ft | 0 |
| Missionary Lake | 29.3 mi | Lake | A | 71 ft | 0 |
| Sabin Lake | 30.6 mi | St. Louis | A | 52 ft | 10 |
| St James Pit Lake | 30.7 mi | St. Louis | A | 381 ft | 5 |
| Whitewater Lake | 30.8 mi | St. Louis | A | 73 ft | 15 |
| Dix Lake | 31.5 mi | Lake | A | - | 0 |
| Ahmakose Lake | 32.8 mi | Lake | A | 68 ft | 0 |
| Knife Lake | 33 mi | Lake | A | - | 0 |
| Kekekabic Lake | 34 mi | Lake | A | 130 ft | 0 |
| Dumbbell Lake | 34.2 mi | Lake | A | 40 ft | 6 |
| Kek Lake | 34.4 mi | Lake | A | 130 ft | 0 |
| Divide Lake | 35 mi | Lake | A | - | 3 |
| Amoeber Lake | 36.7 mi | Lake | A | 110 ft | 4 |
| Eddy Lake | 37 mi | Lake | A | 95 ft | 0 |
| Kekekabic Pond 3 | 37 mi | Lake | A | - | 0 |
| Jenny Lake | 37.4 mi | Lake | A | 93 ft | 0 |
| Topaz Lake | 37.8 mi | Lake | A | 110 ft | 4 |
| Gijikiki Lake | 38.7 mi | Lake | A | 70 ft | 0 |
| Cherry Lake | 38.9 mi | Lake | A | 30 ft | 0 |
| Cabin Lake | 39.3 mi | Lake | A | 3 ft | 3 |
| Lost Lake | 39.4 mi | St. Louis | A | 44 ft | 8 |
| Little Sandy Lake | 39.4 mi | St. Louis | A | - | 0 |
| Hanson Lake | 39.9 mi | Lake | A | 100 ft | 6 |
| Ottertrack Lake | 40.4 mi | Unknown | A | 116 ft | 9 |
| Ester Lake | 40.8 mi | Lake | A | 110 ft | 8 |
| Silver Lake | 40.9 mi | St. Louis | A | 29 ft | 10 |
| Deep Lake | 40.9 mi | St. Louis | A | 50 ft | 10 |
| Mukooda Lake | 41.3 mi | St. Louis | A | 78 ft | 14 |
| Peter Lake | 42.9 mi | Cook | A | 120 ft | 4 |
| Ely Lake | 43 mi | St. Louis | A | 70 ft | 14 |
| Swamp Lake | 43.1 mi | Unknown | A | 50 ft | 0 |
| Rog Lake | 43.4 mi | Cook | A | 40 ft | 4 |
| St. Mary'S Lake | 44.1 mi | St. Louis | A | 44 ft | 14 |
| St. Marys Lake | 44.3 mi | St. Louis | A | 44 ft | 14 |
| Cramer Lake | 44.5 mi | Lake | A | 4 ft | 5 |
Lakes Near Other Cities
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lakes are near Ely?
There are 50 graded lakes within 50 miles of Ely, Minnesota. 50 of these have an A water quality grade (excellent).
What are the best lakes near Ely for fishing?
33 lakes near Ely have documented fish species data. The best fishing lakes combine good water quality grades with diverse fish populations. 24 lakes within 50 miles have 5 or more documented fish species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.