Best Lakes for Boating Near Minneapolis
Minnesota
6 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.
A moderate cluster of 6 graded lakes lies within reach of Minneapolis, averaging a grade of B. South Twin Lake (A) is the cleanest of the set.
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 | South Twin Lake | Polk | A | 49.2 mi | - | - |
| 2 | North Twin Lake | Polk | A | 49.6 mi | - | - |
| 3 | Cedar Lake | Wright | A | 44.1 mi | 15 ft | - |
| 4 | Riley Lake | Hennepin | B | 15.8 mi | 12.6 ft | - |
| 5 | Elmo Lake | Washington | B | 18.6 mi | 11.2 ft | - |
| 6 | Lower Prior Lake | Scott | B | 18.5 mi | 9.5 ft | - |
Other activities near Minneapolis
Swimming near Minneapolis →Fishing near Minneapolis →Kayaking near Minneapolis →All lakes near Minneapolis →
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.