Best Lakes for Swimming Near Minneapolis
Minnesota
30 swimming lakes within driving distance of Minneapolis, Minnesota, ranked by water quality and swimming-specific filters. Filtered for grade A or B water quality, low algae (chlorophyll-a under 15 µg/L), and public access. Always check local advisories on the day you swim.
Minneapolis sits in a lake-rich part of the upper Midwest: 30 graded lakes within reach, average grade B. Grass Lake (A) leads the cluster.
The swimming-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 swimming use case is less useful than a grade-decent lake that does.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grass Lake | Ramsey | A | 9.1 mi | - | - |
| 2 | White Bear Lake | Washington | A | 15.3 mi | 15 ft | - |
| 3 | Jane Lake | Washington | A | 16.8 mi | 15 ft | - |
| 4 | Krenz Lake | Scott | A | 19.1 mi | 16.2 ft | - |
| 5 | Courthouse Lake | Carver | A | 20.6 mi | 20 ft | - |
| 6 | Brickyard Lake | Carver | A | 20.7 mi | 15.1 ft | - |
| 7 | Big Carnelian Lake | Washington | A | 24.8 mi | 15 ft | - |
| 8 | Little Carnelian Lake | Washington | A | 24.9 mi | 21 ft | - |
| 9 | Square Lake | Washington | A | 25.6 mi | 17 ft | - |
| 10 | Charlotte Lake | Wright | A | 26.3 mi | 17.1 ft | - |
| 11 | Holland Lake | Dakota | A | 14.4 mi | 27.9 ft | - |
| 12 | Netta Lake | Anoka | A | 20.8 mi | 11.3 ft | - |
| 13 | Little Long Lake | Hennepin | A | 21.7 mi | 19 ft | - |
| 14 | Piersons Lake | Carver | A | 23.5 mi | 10 ft | - |
| 15 | Big Marine Lake | Washington | A | 25.2 mi | 11.5 ft | - |
| 16 | O'Brien Lake | Dakota | B | 15 mi | 19.7 ft | - |
| 17 | East Twin Lake | Anoka | B | 27.3 mi | 10.7 ft | - |
| 18 | Loeb Lake | Ramsey | B | 7 mi | 11.2 ft | - |
| 19 | Mccarron Lake | Ramsey | B | 7.6 mi | 11.5 ft | - |
| 20 | Snail Lake | Ramsey | B | 9.5 mi | 11 ft | - |
| 21 | East Vadnais Lake | Ramsey | B | 9.9 mi | - | - |
| 22 | Laddie Lake | Anoka | B | 10.2 mi | - | - |
| 23 | Sunfish Lake | Dakota | B | 10.8 mi | 11.5 ft | - |
| 24 | Pomerleau Lake | Hennepin | B | 11.1 mi | 10.3 ft | - |
| 25 | Bush Lake | Hennepin | B | 11.3 mi | 14 ft | - |
| 26 | Beam Pond | Ramsey | B | 11.9 mi | - | - |
| 27 | Otter Lake | Ramsey | B | 14.8 mi | 11.7 ft | - |
| 28 | Schultz Lake | Dakota | B | 14.9 mi | 8.5 ft | - |
| 29 | Riley Lake | Hennepin | B | 15.8 mi | 12.6 ft | - |
| 30 | Deans Lake | Scott | B | 16.6 mi | - | - |
Other activities near Minneapolis
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.