Best Lakes for Swimming Near Grand Rapids
Michigan
23 swimming lakes within driving distance of Grand Rapids, Michigan, ranked by water quality and swimming-specific filters. Filtered for grade A or B water quality, low algae (chlorophyll-a under 15 µg/L), and public access. Always check local advisories on the day you swim.
Within reasonable driving distance of Grand Rapids sit 23 graded lakes — a lake-dense area that gives residents real choice on any given weekend. The average grade across the nearby set is B.
The swimming-specific ranking layered on top of the LakeGrade rubric is what produces the list below: a grade-good lake that does not also support the swimming use case is less useful than a grade-decent lake that does.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cobb Lake Central Basin | Barry | A | 22.5 mi | 16 ft | - |
| 2 | Cobb Lake | Barry | A | 22.5 mi | 16 ft | - |
| 3 | Whitefish Lake Southeast Basin; Pierson Township | Montcalm | A | 25.8 mi | 16 ft | - |
| 4 | Whitefish Lake | Montcalm | A | 26.2 mi | 16.8 ft | - |
| 5 | Bills Lake Central Basin | Newaygo | A | 29.7 mi | 15.5 ft | - |
| 6 | Bills Lake | Newaygo | A | 29.8 mi | 16 ft | - |
| 7 | Emerald Lake | Kent | B | 4.6 mi | 12 ft | - |
| 8 | Emerald Lake | Kent | B | 4.6 mi | 12.3 ft | - |
| 9 | Big Crooked Lake South Basin; Grattan Township | Kent | B | 15 mi | 11.5 ft | - |
| 10 | Big Crooked Lake | Kent | B | 15.3 mi | 11.5 ft | - |
| 11 | Murray Lake East Basin; Grattan Township | Kent | B | 15.6 mi | 7.2 ft | - |
| 12 | Big Pine Island Lake North Central Basin | Kent | B | 18 mi | 10 ft | - |
| 13 | Scram Lake | Kent | B | 19 mi | 10.5 ft | - |
| 14 | Scram Lake East Basin; Oakfield Township | Kent | B | 19.1 mi | 11.5 ft | - |
| 15 | Barlow Lake | Barry | B | 21.6 mi | 11 ft | - |
| 16 | Payne Lake | Barry | B | 23.7 mi | 12 ft | - |
| 17 | Payne Lake North Central Basin | Barry | B | 23.7 mi | 11.5 ft | - |
| 18 | Maston Lake Northeast Basin; Spencer Township | Kent | B | 26.8 mi | 14.5 ft | - |
| 19 | Newcomb Lake | Montcalm | B | 27.5 mi | 11 ft | - |
| 20 | Bass Lake | Montcalm | B | 27.7 mi | 10.8 ft | - |
| 21 | Newcomb Lake | Montcalm | B | 27.7 mi | 11 ft | - |
| 22 | Miner Lake West Central Basin,Allegan Township | Allegan | B | 28 mi | 10.5 ft | - |
| 23 | Ingerson Lake | Allegan | B | 25.1 mi | 9 ft | - |
Other activities near Grand Rapids
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.