Best Lakes for Kayaking Near Minneapolis
Minnesota
9 kayaking lakes within driving distance of Minneapolis, Minnesota, ranked by water quality and kayaking-specific filters. Filtered for grade A, B, or C water quality, public access, and ideal paddling size (30-3,000 acres).
A moderate cluster of 9 graded lakes lies within reach of Minneapolis, averaging a grade of C. Riley Lake (B) is the cleanest of the set.
Filtered for kayaking, the nearby-lake list narrows further. kayaking-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 | Riley Lake | Hennepin | B | 15.8 mi | 12.6 ft | - |
| 2 | Elmo Lake | Washington | B | 18.6 mi | 11.2 ft | - |
| 3 | Phalen Lake | Ramsey | B | 10.3 mi | 9.8 ft | - |
| 4 | Lower Prior Lake | Scott | B | 18.5 mi | 9.5 ft | - |
| 5 | Round Lake | Ramsey | C | 10 mi | 8.2 ft | - |
| 6 | Normandale Lake | Hennepin | C | 9.9 mi | 3.5 ft | - |
| 7 | Keller Lake | Ramsey | C | 10.2 mi | 4.3 ft | - |
| 8 | Silver Lake | Hennepin | C | 14.4 mi | 5.6 ft | - |
| 9 | Bald Eagle Lake | Ramsey | C | 15.3 mi | 5.9 ft | - |
Other activities near Minneapolis
Swimming near Minneapolis →Fishing near Minneapolis →Boating near Minneapolis →All lakes near Minneapolis →
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.