Best Lakes for Swimming Near Springfield
Missouri
2 swimming lakes within driving distance of Springfield, Missouri, 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.
Springfield is not lake-dense — only 2 graded lakes are within easy reach. The cleanest of those is Fellows Lake (B).
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 | Fellows Lake | Greene | B | 8.2 mi | 7.2 ft | - |
| 2 | James R. Just Ab. Lake Springfield | Greene | B | 6.8 mi | 4.2 ft | - |
Other activities near Springfield
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.