Best Lakes for Boating Near Minneapolis
Minnesota
30 boating lakes within driving distance of Minneapolis, 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.
Minneapolis sits in a lake-rich part of the upper Midwest: 30 graded lakes within reach, average grade A. Big Carnelian Lake (A) leads the cluster.
The boating-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 boating use case is less useful than a grade-decent lake that does.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Carnelian Lake | Washington | A | 24.8 mi | 15 ft | 66 ft |
| 2 | Square Lake | Washington | A | 25.6 mi | 17 ft | 68 ft |
| 3 | Charlotte Lake | Wright | A | 26.3 mi | 17.1 ft | 46 ft |
| 4 | Big Lake | Sherburne | A | 34.5 mi | 17.5 ft | 48 ft |
| 5 | Upper Maple Lake | Wright | A | 38.3 mi | 17.2 ft | 76 ft |
| 6 | Sugar Lake | Wright | A | 44.3 mi | 16.5 ft | 69 ft |
| 7 | Deer Lake | Polk | A | 46.5 mi | 16 ft | 46 ft |
| 8 | West Sylvia Lake | Wright | A | 49.6 mi | 22 ft | 97 ft |
| 9 | North Twin Lake | Polk | A | 49.6 mi | - | 27 ft |
| 10 | Pike Lake | Polk | A | 49.9 mi | - | 33 ft |
| 11 | Bush Lake | Hennepin | A | 11.3 mi | 13 ft | 28 ft |
| 12 | Jane Lake | Washington | A | 16.8 mi | 13 ft | 39 ft |
| 13 | Minnewashta Lake | Carver | A | 17.9 mi | 11.5 ft | 70 ft |
| 14 | Elmo Lake | Washington | A | 18.6 mi | 11.1 ft | 140 ft |
| 15 | Big Carnelian Lake | Washington | A | 24.7 mi | 14.5 ft | 66 ft |
| 16 | White Bear Lake | Washington | A | 15.3 mi | 14.4 ft | 83 ft |
| 17 | Little Long Lake | Hennepin | A | 21.7 mi | 18.7 ft | 45 ft |
| 18 | Piersons Lake | Carver | A | 23.5 mi | 9.9 ft | 40 ft |
| 19 | Big Lake | Sherburne | A | 34.6 mi | 13.6 ft | 48 ft |
| 20 | Ann Lake | Sherburne | A | 37.2 mi | 11.5 ft | 26 ft |
| 21 | Ida Lake | Wright | A | 38.5 mi | 13.1 ft | 60 ft |
| 22 | Spectacle Lake | Isanti | A | 41.8 mi | 13.8 ft | 51.5 ft |
| 23 | Pleasant Lake | Wright | A | 46.5 mi | 11.5 ft | 74 ft |
| 24 | Bass Lake | Wright | A | 47.2 mi | 13.5 ft | 34 ft |
| 25 | Fish Lake | Chisago | B | 43.1 mi | 9.4 ft | 57 ft |
| 26 | Snail Lake | Ramsey | B | 9.5 mi | 11 ft | 30 ft |
| 27 | Otter Lake | Ramsey | B | 14.8 mi | 11.5 ft | 21 ft |
| 28 | Riley Lake | Hennepin | B | 15.8 mi | 11.5 ft | 49 ft |
| 29 | Demontreville Lake | Washington | B | 16.2 mi | 10.2 ft | 24 ft |
| 30 | Minnetonka Lake | Hennepin | B | 17.1 mi | 10 ft | 113 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.