Is it safe to swim in lakes near St. Cloud?

That is a call for Minnesota's water agency and the county health department, who post current advisories. 22 lakes within driving distance of St. Cloud 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 Crooked Lake in Stearns County, 12.1 miles away. Bacteria can spike after heavy rain, so always check the current advisories before you swim.

Which lakes near St. Cloud have bacteria testing?

None of the lakes near St. Cloud 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 St. Cloud?

Crooked Lake (Stearns County) is the cleanest swim lake near St. Cloud on measured clarity and nutrients, with 15.5 ft of water clarity.

Swimming Lakes Near St. Cloud, MN: Clarity, Algae and Bacteria Readings (2026)

22 lakes within driving distance of St. Cloud, 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 St. Cloud sit 22 measured lakes, a lake-dense area that gives residents real choice on any given weekend.

Filtered for swimming, the nearby-lake list narrows further. swimming-specific signals, fish species, public access, depth profile, motor-boat congestion, interact with the water-quality readings in different ways depending on the use case.

#	Lake	County	Bacteria	Distance	Clarity	Depth
1	Crooked Lake	Stearns	Low algae	12.1 mi	15.5 ft	35 ft
2	Nixon Lake	Wright	Limited data	14.9 mi	13.1 ft	67 ft
3	Big Spunk Lake	Stearns	Low algae	15 mi	10 ft	38 ft
4	Big Fish Lake	Stearns	Low algae	15 mi	20 ft	70 ft
5	Bass Lake	Wright	Low algae	16.8 mi	13.5 ft	34 ft
6	School Section Lake	Stearns	Low algae	16.9 mi	9.8 ft	14 ft
7	Clearwater Lake	Wright	Low algae	17.9 mi	9.8 ft	73 ft
8	Sugar Lake	Wright	Low algae	17.9 mi	16.5 ft	69 ft
9	Pleasant Lake	Wright	Low algae	19.8 mi	11.5 ft	74 ft
10	Cedar Lake	Wright	Low algae	20.5 mi	14.3 ft	108 ft
11	Ida Lake	Wright	Low algae	21.9 mi	13.1 ft	60 ft
12	West Sylvia Lake	Wright	Low algae	22 mi	22 ft	97 ft
13	Birch Lake	Wright	Low algae	22.9 mi	15 ft	52 ft
14	Moose Lake	Wright	Low algae	23.7 mi	14.4 ft	43 ft
15	Upper Maple Lake	Wright	Low algae	24.7 mi	17.2 ft	76 ft
16	Ann Lake	Sherburne	Limited data	24.9 mi	11.5 ft	26 ft
17	Big Lake	Sherburne	Low algae	25 mi	13.6 ft	48 ft
18	Pierz Lake	Morrison	Limited data	27.8 mi	9.5 ft	34 ft
19	Cedar Lake	Morrison	Limited data	28.6 mi	16.2 ft	88 ft
20	Pine Lake	Morrison	Low algae	29.2 mi	15.1 ft	59 ft
21	Pulaski Lake	Wright	Low algae	29.3 mi	18 ft	-
22	John Lake	Wright	Low algae	20.6 mi	8 ft	28 ft

Other activities near St. Cloud

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Where to stay near St. Cloud

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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.