Best Lakes for Boating Near Moorhead
Minnesota
30 boating lakes within driving distance of Moorhead, 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.
Within reasonable driving distance of Moorhead 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.
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 | Turtle Lake | Becker | A | 28.8 mi | 23 ft | 73 ft |
| 2 | Middle Cormorant Lake | Becker | A | 32.1 mi | 15.1 ft | 40 ft |
| 3 | Big Cormorant Lake | Becker | A | 34.6 mi | 24.8 ft | 75 ft |
| 4 | Pelican Lake | Otter Tail | A | 37.2 mi | 16.4 ft | 55 ft |
| 5 | Maud Lake | Becker | A | 38.1 mi | 17 ft | 32 ft |
| 6 | Fish Lake | Otter Tail | A | 38.7 mi | 18 ft | 69 ft |
| 7 | Lizzie Lake | Otter Tail | A | 38.9 mi | 16.4 ft | 66 ft |
| 8 | Long Lake | Becker | A | 41.4 mi | 15.1 ft | 61 ft |
| 9 | Long Lake | Becker | A | 41.6 mi | 19.3 ft | 61 ft |
| 10 | Jewett Lake | Otter Tail | A | 46.7 mi | 17.7 ft | 75 ft |
| 11 | West Silent Lake | Otter Tail | A | 47.5 mi | 18 ft | 58 ft |
| 12 | Six Lake | Otter Tail | A | 48.1 mi | 21 ft | 140 ft |
| 13 | Big Sugar Bush Lake | Becker | A | 48.3 mi | 16.5 ft | 42 ft |
| 14 | Scalp Lake | Otter Tail | A | 48.5 mi | 20 ft | 90 ft |
| 15 | Pickerel Lake | Becker | A | 49.1 mi | 18 ft | 74 ft |
| 16 | East Silent Lake | Otter Tail | A | 49.1 mi | 19.2 ft | 48 ft |
| 17 | Sybil Lake | Otter Tail | A | 49.8 mi | 20 ft | 74 ft |
| 18 | Eunice Lake | Becker | A | 39 mi | 13.5 ft | 30 ft |
| 19 | Pearl Lake | Becker | A | 39.7 mi | 10 ft | 54 ft |
| 20 | Little Pelican Lake | Otter Tail | A | 40.2 mi | 11.5 ft | 25 ft |
| 21 | Franklin Lake | Otter Tail | A | 40.5 mi | 13.1 ft | 48 ft |
| 22 | Melissa Lake | Becker | A | 42.2 mi | 13.1 ft | 37 ft |
| 23 | Floyd Lake | Becker | A | 43.5 mi | 13.1 ft | 34 ft |
| 24 | Glawe Lake | Becker | A | 43.8 mi | 10.8 ft | 24 ft |
| 25 | Detroit Lake | Becker | A | 44.2 mi | 14 ft | 89 ft |
| 26 | Trowbridge Lake | Otter Tail | A | 45.3 mi | 13.5 ft | 76 ft |
| 27 | Long Lake | Otter Tail | A | 45.7 mi | 11.6 ft | 73 ft |
| 28 | East Loon Lake | Otter Tail | A | 47.7 mi | 13.5 ft | 105 ft |
| 29 | Ida Lake | Becker | B | 33.3 mi | 12.1 ft | 20 ft |
| 30 | Bullhead Lake | Becker | B | 36.8 mi | 12.9 ft | 34 ft |
Other activities near Moorhead
Where to stay near Moorhead
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Moorhead — book a place close to the best-rated lakes in the area.
Top-rated places to stay near Moorhead
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip to Moorhead?
Get lake water-quality report cards plus the best cabin & lodging deals near Moorhead — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.