Best Lakes for Boating Near Ely
Minnesota
5 boating lakes within driving distance of Ely, 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 5 graded lakes lies within reach of Ely, averaging a grade of B. Whitewater Lake (A) is the cleanest of the set.
Filtered for boating, the nearby-lake list narrows further. boating-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 | Whitewater Lake | St. Louis | A | 30.8 mi | 15.4 ft | - |
| 2 | Ely Lake | St. Louis | A | 43 mi | 16 ft | - |
| 3 | Wilson Lake | Lake | A | 40 mi | 10.3 ft | - |
| 4 | Fall Lake | Lake | C | 6.2 mi | 5.6 ft | - |
| 5 | Wind Lake | Lake | C | 17.2 mi | 9 ft | - |
Other activities near Ely
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.