Safest Lakes to Swim Near Grand Rapids
Minnesota
29 lakes within driving distance of Grand Rapids, Minnesota pass our swim-safety screen — grade A/B water, low algae, and public access. 0 have direct bacteria (E. coli) testing on record. 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 29 graded lakes — a lake-dense area that gives residents real choice on any given weekend. The average grade across the nearby set is A.
The swimming-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 swimming use case is less useful than a grade-decent lake that does.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Swim Safety | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Jay Gould Lake | Itasca | A | Limited data | 3.9 mi | 21.5 ft | 56 ft |
| 2 | Jay Gould Lake | Itasca | A | Limited data | 4.5 mi | 13 ft | 33 ft |
| 3 | Pokegama Lake | Itasca | A | Low algae | 4.6 mi | 16.1 ft | 112 ft |
| 4 | Long Lake | Itasca | A | Limited data | 5.9 mi | 16.9 ft | 85 ft |
| 5 | Siseebakwet Lake | Itasca | A | Low algae | 8.9 mi | 19 ft | 105 ft |
| 6 | Deer Lake | Itasca | A | Low algae | 11.4 mi | 13.1 ft | 121 ft |
| 7 | Bluewater Lake | Itasca | A | Limited data | 12.6 mi | 18.5 ft | 120 ft |
| 8 | Wabana Lake | Itasca | A | Limited data | 12.8 mi | 18 ft | 115 ft |
| 9 | Shallow Lake | Itasca | A | Low algae | 13.1 mi | 16.4 ft | 85 ft |
| 10 | Little Trout Lake | Itasca | A | Limited data | 13.9 mi | 22 ft | 80 ft |
| 11 | Johnson Lake | Itasca | A | Low algae | 14.6 mi | 15.7 ft | 88 ft |
| 12 | Sugar Lake | Cass | A | Low algae | 16 mi | 13.5 ft | 44 ft |
| 13 | Swan Lake | Itasca | A | Low algae | 16.6 mi | 13.5 ft | 65 ft |
| 14 | Helen Lake | Itasca | A | Limited data | 21 mi | 8 ft | 33 ft |
| 15 | Dead Horse Lake | Itasca | A | Limited data | 21.4 mi | 9.8 ft | 30 ft |
| 16 | North Star Lake | Itasca | A | Limited data | 22.9 mi | 19 ft | 90 ft |
| 17 | Little Sand Lake | Cass | A | Low algae | 22.9 mi | 7.5 ft | 12 ft |
| 18 | Big Ole Lake | Itasca | A | Limited data | 23.1 mi | 21.8 ft | 65 ft |
| 19 | Island Lake | St. Louis | A | Limited data | 23.4 mi | 14.5 ft | 65 ft |
| 20 | Big Island Lake | Itasca | A | Limited data | 23.4 mi | 16.4 ft | 42 ft |
| 21 | Burns Lake | Itasca | A | Limited data | 26.8 mi | 16.1 ft | 100 ft |
| 22 | Schoolhouse Lake | Itasca | A | Limited data | 27.8 mi | 5.2 ft | - |
| 23 | Turtle Lake | Itasca | A | Low algae | 28.6 mi | 17.1 ft | 54 ft |
| 24 | Thunder Lake | Cass | A | Low algae | 28.8 mi | 16.5 ft | 95 ft |
| 25 | Six Mile Lake | Cass | A | Low algae | 28.9 mi | 11.5 ft | 68 ft |
| 26 | Maple Lake | Itasca | A | Limited data | 29.4 mi | 15.3 ft | 39 ft |
| 27 | Upper Trelipe Lake | Cass | A | Low algae | 29.8 mi | 14 ft | 69 ft |
| 28 | Little Wabana Lake | Itasca | B | Limited data | 11.5 mi | 24 ft | 57 ft |
| 29 | Gunn Lake | Itasca | B | Limited data | 22 mi | 14.3 ft | - |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.