Safest Lakes to Swim Near St. Paul
Minnesota
30 lakes within driving distance of St. Paul, Minnesota pass our swim-safety screen — grade A/B water, low algae, and public access. 2 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.
St. Paul sits in a lake-rich part of the upper Midwest: 30 graded lakes within reach, average grade B. Holland Lake (A) leads the cluster.
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 | Holland Lake | Dakota | A | Low algae | 11.7 mi | 27.9 ft | 55 ft |
| 2 | Big Carnelian Lake | Washington | A | Limited data | 18.6 mi | 15 ft | 66 ft |
| 3 | Square Lake | Washington | A | Low algae | 19.7 mi | 17 ft | 68 ft |
| 4 | Jane Lake | Washington | A | Low algae | 9.1 mi | 13 ft | 39 ft |
| 5 | Elmo Lake | Washington | A | Low algae | 10.2 mi | 11.1 ft | 140 ft |
| 6 | Bush Lake | Hennepin | A | Low algae | 16.4 mi | 13 ft | 28 ft |
| 7 | Lac Lavon Lake | Dakota | A | Low algae | 17.8 mi | 12.1 ft | 32 ft |
| 8 | Big Carnelian Lake | Washington | A | Low algae | 18.4 mi | 14.5 ft | 66 ft |
| 9 | Minnewashta Lake | Carver | A | Low algae | 25.7 mi | 11.5 ft | 70 ft |
| 10 | White Bear Lake | Washington | A | Bacteria C | 9.9 mi | 14.4 ft | 83 ft |
| 11 | Netta Lake | Anoka | A | Low algae | 22.8 mi | 11.3 ft | - |
| 12 | Bass Lake | St. Croix | A | Low algae | 23.1 mi | 10 ft | - |
| 13 | Lily Lake | Washington | B | Low algae | 14.6 mi | 10.5 ft | 51 ft |
| 14 | Big Marine Lake | Washington | B | Low algae | 20.7 mi | 12 ft | - |
| 15 | Snail Lake | Ramsey | B | Low algae | 8.4 mi | 11 ft | 30 ft |
| 16 | Demontreville Lake | Washington | B | Low algae | 8.7 mi | 10.2 ft | 24 ft |
| 17 | Otter Lake | Ramsey | B | Low algae | 12 mi | 11.5 ft | 21 ft |
| 18 | Lower Prior Lake | Scott | B | Low algae | 22.1 mi | 10 ft | 60 ft |
| 19 | Marion Lake | Dakota | B | Low algae | 22.3 mi | 7 ft | 21 ft |
| 20 | Halfbreed Lake | Washington | B | Low algae | 22.5 mi | 5.2 ft | 34 ft |
| 21 | Riley Lake | Hennepin | B | Low algae | 22.5 mi | 11.5 ft | 49 ft |
| 22 | Round Lake | Anoka | B | Low algae | 23.7 mi | 8.9 ft | - |
| 23 | Minnetonka Lake | Hennepin | B | Low algae | 25.4 mi | 10 ft | 113 ft |
| 24 | Fireman'S Lake | Carver | B | Low algae | 27.6 mi | 10.7 ft | 23 ft |
| 25 | School Lake | Chisago | B | Low algae | 28.6 mi | 7.9 ft | - |
| 26 | Rogers Lake | Dakota | B | Low algae | 6.2 mi | 6.6 ft | 8 ft |
| 27 | Fish Lake | Washington | B | Low algae | 23.1 mi | 5 ft | - |
| 28 | St. Joe Lake | Carver | B | Low algae | 26.6 mi | 8.4 ft | 52 ft |
| 29 | Spider Lake | Chisago | B | Low algae | 28.5 mi | 6.5 ft | 9 ft |
| 30 | Mccarron Lake | Ramsey | B | Bacteria D | 3.3 mi | 11.5 ft | 57 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.