Best Lakes for Kayaking Near Fort Wayne
Indiana
17 kayaking lakes within driving distance of Fort Wayne, Indiana, 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 17 graded lakes lies within reach of Fort Wayne, averaging a grade of C. Big Long Lake (A) is the cleanest of the set.
The kayaking-specific ranking layered on top of the letter grade is what produces the list below: a grade-good lake that does not also support the kayaking use case is less useful than a grade-decent lake that does.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Long Lake | LaGrange | A | 33.4 mi | - | - |
| 2 | Adams Lake | LaGrange | A | 34.2 mi | - | - |
| 3 | Blue Lake | Whitley | B | 16 mi | - | - |
| 4 | Kuhn Lake | Kosciusko | B | 32.2 mi | - | - |
| 5 | Shriner Lake | Whitley | C | 20 mi | - | - |
| 6 | Cedar Lake | Whitley | C | 20.2 mi | - | - |
| 7 | Goose Lake | Whitley | C | 24.1 mi | - | - |
| 8 | Round Lake | Noble | C | 26.7 mi | - | - |
| 9 | Sparta Lake | Noble | C | 30.9 mi | - | - |
| 10 | Lake of the Woods | LaGrange | C | 32.3 mi | - | - |
| 11 | Papakeechie Lake | Kosciusko | C | 34.3 mi | - | - |
| 12 | Eve Lake | LaGrange | C | 34.6 mi | - | - |
| 13 | Olin Lake | LaGrange | C | 35.8 mi | - | - |
| 14 | Oliver Lake | LaGrange | C | 36.7 mi | - | - |
| 15 | Appleman Lake | LaGrange | C | 37.8 mi | - | - |
| 16 | Royer Lake | LaGrange | C | 38.2 mi | - | - |
| 17 | Fish Lake | LaGrange | C | 38.8 mi | - | - |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.