Best Lakes for Kayaking Near Fargo
North Dakota
9 kayaking lakes within driving distance of Fargo, North Dakota, ranked by water quality and kayaking-specific filters. Filtered for grade A, B, or C water quality, public access, and ideal paddling size (30-3,000 acres).
A moderate cluster of 9 graded lakes lies within reach of Fargo, averaging a grade of B. Turtle Lake (A) is the cleanest of the set.
Filtered for kayaking, the nearby-lake list narrows further. kayaking-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 | Turtle Lake | Becker | A | 29.9 mi | 23 ft | 73 ft |
| 2 | Middle Cormorant Lake | Becker | A | 33.1 mi | 15.1 ft | 40 ft |
| 3 | Ida Lake | Becker | A | 34.4 mi | 12.1 ft | 20 ft |
| 4 | Maud Lake | Becker | A | 39.1 mi | 17 ft | 32 ft |
| 5 | Lizzie Lake | Otter Tail | A | 39.9 mi | 16.4 ft | 66 ft |
| 6 | Prairie Lake | Otter Tail | B | 38.9 mi | 8.9 ft | 22 ft |
| 7 | Beseau Lake | Becker | C | 30.5 mi | 7.7 ft | 27 ft |
| 8 | Upper Cormorant Lake | Becker | C | 32 mi | 8 ft | 29 ft |
| 9 | Tamarac Lake | Otter Tail | C | 36.8 mi | 6.2 ft | 11 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.