Best Lakes Near St. Paul, MN
50 lakes within 50 miles of St. Paul ranked by water quality grade.
Within reasonable driving distance of St. Paul sit 50 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 lakes below are sorted by composite LakeGrade rubric score. If you have a specific activity in mind — swimming, kayaking, ice-fishing, family-fishing — the activity-specific sub-pages will filter further.
| Lake | Distance | County | Grade | Depth | Fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grass Lake | 7.4 mi | Ramsey | A | - | 0 |
| Jane Lake | 9.1 mi | Washington | A | 39 ft | 11 |
| White Bear Lake | 9.9 mi | Washington | A | 83 ft | 18 |
| Little Carnelian Lake | 18.3 mi | Washington | A | 68 ft | 10 |
| Big Carnelian Lake | 18.6 mi | Washington | A | 66 ft | 12 |
| Square Lake | 19.7 mi | Washington | A | 68 ft | 9 |
| Krenz Lake | 20.6 mi | Scott | A | - | 0 |
| Bass Lake Pump Site | 22.8 mi | St. Croix | A | 33 ft | 4 |
| Bass Lake | 23.1 mi | St. Croix | A | - | 0 |
| Courthouse Lake | 27 mi | Carver | A | 57 ft | 10 |
| Brickyard Lake | 27.3 mi | Carver | A | 43 ft | 0 |
| Lower Pine Lake | 32.4 mi | Polk | A | 102 ft | 3 |
| Pine Lake | 33 mi | Polk | A | 34 ft | 3 |
| Swede Lake | 33.8 mi | Polk | A | 32 ft | 2 |
| Paulsen Lake | 34.6 mi | Polk | A | - | 0 |
| Charlotte Lake | 34.8 mi | Wright | A | 46 ft | 10 |
| Church Pine Lake | 35.2 mi | Polk | A | 45 ft | 4 |
| Wind Lake | 35.4 mi | Polk | A | - | 4 |
| Round Lake | 35.8 mi | Polk | A | 26 ft | 3 |
| Poplar Lake | 37.9 mi | Polk | A | - | 0 |
| Sand Lake | 39 mi | Polk | A | - | 0 |
| Pulaski Lake | 40.9 mi | Wright | A | - | 0 |
| Deer Lake | 41.5 mi | Polk | A | 46 ft | 5 |
| Big Lake | 41.9 mi | Sherburne | A | 48 ft | 14 |
| Bridget Lake | 42.2 mi | Polk | A | - | 0 |
| South Twin Lake | 42.6 mi | Polk | A | - | 0 |
| North Twin Lake | 43.2 mi | Polk | A | 27 ft | 4 |
| Pike Lake | 43.6 mi | Polk | A | 33 ft | 4 |
| Clear Lake | 44.9 mi | Polk | A | 26 ft | 4 |
| Birch Lake | 45.2 mi | Wright | A | 52 ft | 9 |
| Upper Maple Lake | 46.7 mi | Wright | A | 76 ft | 15 |
| Sandhill Lake | 49.1 mi | Polk | A | - | 0 |
| Half Moon Lake | 49.4 mi | Polk | A | 60 ft | 4 |
| Holland Lake | 11.7 mi | Dakota | A | 55 ft | 6 |
| Lower Birch Lake | 33.6 mi | Isanti | A | - | 0 |
| East Hunter Lake | 39 mi | Sherburne | A | - | 2 |
| Big Marine Lake | 20.7 mi | Washington | A | - | 0 |
| Netta Lake | 22.8 mi | Anoka | A | - | 0 |
| Little Long Lake | 30.1 mi | Hennepin | A | 45 ft | 13 |
| Piersons Lake | 31 mi | Carver | A | 40 ft | 14 |
| Upper Birch Lake | 33.9 mi | Isanti | A | - | 0 |
| Big Lake | 35.6 mi | Polk | A | 24 ft | 4 |
| Bear Trap Lake | 41.4 mi | Polk | A | 25 ft | 5 |
| King Lake | 41.5 mi | Polk | A | - | 3 |
| Big Lake | 42 mi | Sherburne | A | 48 ft | 14 |
| Mitchell Lake | 42.4 mi | Sherburne | A | 33 ft | 13 |
| Sandy Lake | 42.4 mi | Sherburne | A | 41 ft | 7 |
| Ann Lake | 43.8 mi | Sherburne | A | 26 ft | 10 |
| Loveless Lake | 44.3 mi | Polk | A | 20 ft | 3 |
| Clarey Lake | 44.7 mi | Polk | A | - | 0 |
Lakes Near Other Cities
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lakes are near St. Paul?
There are 50 graded lakes within 50 miles of St. Paul, Minnesota. 50 of these have an A water quality grade (excellent).
What are the best lakes near St. Paul for fishing?
34 lakes near St. Paul have documented fish species data. The best fishing lakes combine good water quality grades with diverse fish populations. 19 lakes within 50 miles have 5 or more documented fish species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.