Is it safe to swim in lakes near Park Rapids?

That is a call for Minnesota's water agency and the county health department, who post current advisories. 30 lakes within driving distance of Park Rapids pass the low-algae screen (favourable clarity and nutrient readings, chlorophyll-a under 15 µg/L, public access). The top pick on those readings is Fish Hook Lake in Hubbard County, 2.3 miles away. Bacteria can spike after heavy rain, so always check the current advisories before you swim.

Which lakes near Park Rapids have bacteria testing?

None of the lakes near Park Rapids have enough recent bacteria samples on record, so these lakes are screened on water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a) instead. Always check posted advisories before swimming.

What is the cleanest swimming lake near Park Rapids?

Fish Hook Lake (Hubbard County) is the cleanest swim lake near Park Rapids on measured clarity and nutrients, with 10.2 ft of water clarity.

Swimming Lakes Near Park Rapids, MN: Clarity, Algae and Bacteria Readings (2026)

30 lakes within driving distance of Park Rapids, Minnesota pass the low-algae screen — favourable clarity and nutrient readings, low algae, and public access. 0 have direct bacteria (E. coli) testing on record. Filtered for the clearest, lowest-nutrient readings in the sampling record, low algae (chlorophyll-a under 15 µg/L), and public access. Not a swimming clearance: always check local advisories on the day you swim.

Within reasonable driving distance of Park Rapids sit 30 measured lakes, a lake-dense area that gives residents real choice on any given weekend.

The swimming-specific ranking layered on top of the readings is what produces the list below: a lake with clean readings that does not also support the swimming use case is less useful than a decent one that does.

#	Lake	County	Bacteria	Distance	Clarity	Depth
1	Fish Hook Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	2.3 mi	10.2 ft	76 ft
2	Long Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	3.4 mi	11.2 ft	135 ft
3	Moran Lake	Hubbard	Limited data	4.9 mi	11.8 ft	32 ft
4	Potato Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	5.6 mi	11.5 ft	87 ft
5	Hinds Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	6 mi	13.5 ft	36 ft
6	Boulder Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	6.6 mi	10.8 ft	28 ft
7	Big Sand Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	6.9 mi	23 ft	135 ft
8	Blue Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	7 mi	17.3 ft	84 ft
9	Big Stony Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	7.2 mi	9.8 ft	24 ft
10	Belle Taine Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	7.4 mi	22.8 ft	56 ft
11	Little Sand Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	7.5 mi	20 ft	80 ft
12	Eagle Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	7.7 mi	11.2 ft	77 ft
13	Emma Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	8.5 mi	18.5 ft	50 ft
14	Pickerel Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	8.6 mi	11.1 ft	26 ft
15	Island Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	9.1 mi	10.5 ft	65 ft
16	Shallow Lake	Hubbard	Limited data	9.4 mi	8.2 ft	10 ft
17	Deer Lake	Hubbard	Limited data	9.8 mi	12.8 ft	9 ft
18	Fourth Crow Wing Lake	Hubbard	Limited data	9.8 mi	8 ft	10 ft
19	Upper Bottle Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	10.2 mi	16 ft	55 ft
20	Two Inlets Lake	Becker	Limited data	10.2 mi	9 ft	60 ft
21	Dead Lake	Hubbard	Limited data	10.3 mi	16 ft	34 ft
22	Island Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	10.6 mi	16.4 ft	32 ft
23	Duck Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	10.7 mi	10.2 ft	23 ft
24	Palmer Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	10.7 mi	9.5 ft	21 ft
25	Hungry Man Lake	Becker	Limited data	11.4 mi	14.4 ft	21 ft
26	Skunk Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	11.6 mi	16.5 ft	55 ft
27	Spider (Ne Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	11.6 mi	17.1 ft	96 ft
28	Spirit Lake	Wadena	Low algae	12 mi	15.4 ft	45 ft
29	Mantrap Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	12.3 mi	12 ft	-
30	Crooked Lake	Hubbard	Low algae	12.3 mi	19 ft	-

Other activities near Park Rapids

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Where to stay near Park Rapids

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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.