Best Lakes for Boating Near Grand Rapids
Minnesota
16 boating lakes within driving distance of Grand Rapids, 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 16 graded lakes lies within reach of Grand Rapids, averaging a grade of A. Pokegama 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 | Pokegama Lake | Itasca | A | 4.2 mi | 17.5 ft | - |
| 2 | Pokegama Lake | Itasca | A | 4.6 mi | 16 ft | - |
| 3 | Wabana Lake | Itasca | A | 12.8 mi | 18 ft | - |
| 4 | Thunder Lake | Cass | A | 28.5 mi | 20 ft | - |
| 5 | Thunder Lake | Cass | A | 28.8 mi | 16.4 ft | - |
| 6 | Blue Lake | Crow Wing | A | 38.8 mi | 19 ft | - |
| 7 | Roger Lake | Crow Wing | A | 43.1 mi | 16 ft | - |
| 8 | Deer Lake | Itasca | A | 11.4 mi | 13.1 ft | - |
| 9 | Washburn Lake | Cass | A | 33.3 mi | 14 ft | - |
| 10 | Roosevelt Lake | Cass | A | 36.3 mi | 11 ft | - |
| 11 | Sturgeon Lake | St. Louis | A | 38.1 mi | 13.8 ft | - |
| 12 | Busties Lake | Itasca | A | 43 mi | 10.3 ft | - |
| 13 | Velvet Lake | Crow Wing | A | 46.6 mi | 10.8 ft | - |
| 14 | Pine Lake | Crow Wing | A | 49.5 mi | 11.6 ft | - |
| 15 | Balsam Lake | Itasca | B | 20.6 mi | 10.5 ft | - |
| 16 | Lake Winnibigoshish | Cass | B | 35.7 mi | 12.1 ft | - |
Other activities near Grand Rapids
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.