Best Lakes Near Mankato, MN
50 lakes within 50 miles of Mankato ranked by water quality grade.
Mankato sits in a lake-rich part of the upper Midwest: 50 graded lakes within reach, average grade C. Courthouse Lake (A) leads the cluster.
The lakes below are sorted by composite LakeGrade rubric score. If you have a specific activity in mind — swimming, kayaking, ice-fishing, family-fishing — the activity-specific sub-pages will filter further.
| Lake | Distance | County | Grade | Depth | Fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Courthouse Lake | 47.7 mi | Carver | A | 57 ft | 10 |
| Brickyard Lake | 47.8 mi | Carver | A | 43 ft | 0 |
| Fish Lake | 17.1 mi | Le Sueur | A | 55 ft | 14 |
| Piersons Lake | 48.7 mi | Carver | A | 40 ft | 14 |
| Unnamed Lake | 3.3 mi | Blue Earth | B | - | 0 |
| Roemhildts Lake | 15.2 mi | Le Sueur | B | 60 ft | 13 |
| Fireman'S Lake | 47.5 mi | Carver | B | 23 ft | 8 |
| Lower Prior Lake | 48.7 mi | Scott | B | 60 ft | 15 |
| Marion Lake | 49.5 mi | Dakota | B | 21 ft | 14 |
| Cate'S Lake | 49.2 mi | Scott | B | - | 0 |
| Unnamed Lake | 12.2 mi | Nicollet | B | 35 ft | 6 |
| Kelly Lake | 33.8 mi | Rice | B | - | 0 |
| Beaver Lake | 37.4 mi | Steele | B | 27 ft | 13 |
| Central Mystic Lake | 47.6 mi | Scott | B | - | 0 |
| O'Dowd Lake | 46.7 mi | Scott | C | 22 ft | 10 |
| Frances Lake | 15.3 mi | Le Sueur | C | 60 ft | 16 |
| Dudley Lake | 34.3 mi | Rice | C | 60 ft | 11 |
| Crystal Lake | 46.2 mi | Scott | C | 26 ft | 7 |
| Waconia Lake | 50 mi | Carver | C | 37 ft | 16 |
| Oak Leaf Lake | 10 mi | Nicollet | C | - | 0 |
| Volney Lake | 22.7 mi | Le Sueur | C | 67 ft | 12 |
| Upper Prior Lake | 46.7 mi | Scott | C | 50 ft | 16 |
| Burandt Lake | 48.3 mi | Carver | C | 24 ft | 12 |
| Bavaria Lake | 49.9 mi | Carver | C | 66 ft | 13 |
| Madison Lake | 9.5 mi | Blue Earth | D | 59 ft | 20 |
| Lake Jefferson | 14.2 mi | Le Sueur | D | 37 ft | 18 |
| German Lake | 15.5 mi | Le Sueur | D | 51 ft | 19 |
| Rays Lake | 16.5 mi | Le Sueur | D | 32 ft | 15 |
| Reeds Lake | 19.2 mi | Waseca | D | 58 ft | 15 |
| Fedji Lake | 20.1 mi | Watonwan | D | 6 ft | 0 |
| St. Olaf Lake | 34.2 mi | Waseca | D | 33 ft | 11 |
| St. James Lake | 34.4 mi | Watonwan | D | 15.4 ft | 12 |
| Long Lake | 37.3 mi | Watonwan | D | 13 ft | 13 |
| Sleepy Eye Lake | 37.5 mi | Brown | D | 21 ft | 10 |
| Mill Pond | 39.1 mi | Scott | D | 18 ft | 11 |
| Myers Lake | 42.6 mi | Carver | D | - | 0 |
| Fish Lake | 43 mi | Scott | D | 28 ft | 14 |
| Spring Lake | 45.4 mi | Scott | D | 37 ft | 15 |
| Marion Lake | 47 mi | McLeod | D | 15.2 ft | 13 |
| Unnamed Lake | 48.2 mi | Scott | D | - | 0 |
| Reitz Lake | 48.3 mi | Carver | D | 36 ft | 14 |
| Wassermann West Lake | 49.3 mi | Carver | D | - | 0 |
| Buck Lake | 44.8 mi | Scott | D | - | 0 |
| North Silver Lake | 49.2 mi | Martin | D | - | 0 |
| Ballantyne Lake | 8.8 mi | Blue Earth | D | 58 ft | 16 |
| Washington Lake | 8.9 mi | Le Sueur | D | 51 ft | 18 |
| Emily Lake | 10.9 mi | Le Sueur | D | 37 ft | 14 |
| Jefferson Lake | 12.5 mi | Le Sueur | D | - | 0 |
| Scotch Lake | 14.6 mi | Le Sueur | D | 11 ft | 5 |
| Porter Lake | 19.6 mi | Blue Earth | D | - | 0 |
Top-Rated Lakes Near Mankato
Lakes Near Other Cities
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lakes are near Mankato?
There are 50 graded lakes within 50 miles of Mankato, Minnesota. 4 of these have an A water quality grade (excellent).
What are the best lakes near Mankato for fishing?
36 lakes near Mankato have documented fish species data. The best fishing lakes combine good water quality grades with diverse fish populations. 36 lakes within 50 miles have 5 or more documented fish species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.