Best Lakes for Kayaking Near Minneapolis
Minnesota
30 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).
Within reasonable driving distance of Minneapolis sit 30 graded lakes — a lake-dense area that gives residents real choice on any given weekend. The average grade across the nearby set is A.
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 | Holland Lake | Dakota | A | 14.4 mi | 27.9 ft | 55 ft |
| 2 | Big Carnelian Lake | Washington | A | 24.8 mi | 15 ft | 66 ft |
| 3 | Square Lake | Washington | A | 25.6 mi | 17 ft | 68 ft |
| 4 | Charlotte Lake | Wright | A | 26.3 mi | 17.1 ft | 46 ft |
| 5 | Big Lake | Sherburne | A | 34.5 mi | 17.5 ft | 48 ft |
| 6 | Birch Lake | Wright | A | 37.2 mi | 15 ft | 52 ft |
| 7 | Upper Maple Lake | Wright | A | 38.3 mi | 17.2 ft | 76 ft |
| 8 | Lower Pine Lake | Polk | A | 38.7 mi | 21 ft | 102 ft |
| 9 | Bush Lake | Hennepin | A | 11.3 mi | 13 ft | 28 ft |
| 10 | Jane Lake | Washington | A | 16.8 mi | 13 ft | 39 ft |
| 11 | Lac Lavon Lake | Dakota | A | 17.8 mi | 12.1 ft | 32 ft |
| 12 | Minnewashta Lake | Carver | A | 17.9 mi | 11.5 ft | 70 ft |
| 13 | Elmo Lake | Washington | A | 18.6 mi | 11.1 ft | 140 ft |
| 14 | Big Carnelian Lake | Washington | A | 24.7 mi | 14.5 ft | 66 ft |
| 15 | White Bear Lake | Washington | A | 15.3 mi | 14.4 ft | 83 ft |
| 16 | Little Long Lake | Hennepin | A | 21.7 mi | 18.7 ft | 45 ft |
| 17 | Piersons Lake | Carver | A | 23.5 mi | 9.9 ft | 40 ft |
| 18 | East Twin Lake | Anoka | A | 27.3 mi | 10.7 ft | 68 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 | Sandy Lake | Sherburne | A | 37.3 mi | 14 ft | 41 ft |
| 22 | Ida Lake | Wright | A | 38.5 mi | 13.1 ft | 60 ft |
| 23 | Pine Lake | Polk | A | 39.2 mi | 13 ft | 34 ft |
| 24 | Lily Lake | Washington | B | 22.1 mi | 10.5 ft | 51 ft |
| 25 | Snail Lake | Ramsey | B | 9.5 mi | 11 ft | 30 ft |
| 26 | Otter Lake | Ramsey | B | 14.8 mi | 11.5 ft | 21 ft |
| 27 | Riley Lake | Hennepin | B | 15.8 mi | 11.5 ft | 49 ft |
| 28 | Demontreville Lake | Washington | B | 16.2 mi | 10.2 ft | 24 ft |
| 29 | Lower Prior Lake | Scott | B | 18.5 mi | 10 ft | 60 ft |
| 30 | Marion Lake | Dakota | B | 22 mi | 7 ft | 21 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.