Safest Lakes to Swim Near Rockford
Illinois
1 lakes within driving distance of Rockford, Illinois pass our swim-safety screen — grade A/B water, low algae, and public access. 0 have direct bacteria (E. coli) testing on record. 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.
Lakes near Rockford are sparser (1 graded lakes within reach), so the choices are limited. Baumann Park Lake (A) is the standout.
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 | Swim Safety | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Baumann Park Lake | Winnebago | A | Limited data | 7.5 mi | 10.2 ft | - |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.