Lake Carlos State Park
Lake Carlos State Park is a state park in Douglas County. It was established in 1937. 8 graded lakes are within 15 miles of the park, including Carlos Lake, Miltona Lake, Ida Lake.
Lake Carlos State Park State Park spans an unrecorded acreage acres in Minnesota — a designated recreation destination with the full set of facilities the state park system provides. 8 graded lakes are within easy reach of the park, with an average grade of A. Carlos Lake (A) is the cleanest of the set.
State parks pair well with the LakeGrade dataset: the park itself usually has interpretive signage explaining the local lake system, but the per-lake grade tells you which actual lake in the system to head to.
Official Resources
Nearby Graded Lakes (within 15 mi)
Lakes closest to Lake Carlos State Park, weighted by size. Click a lake for its full water quality grade, fish species, and depth.
| Lake | County | Grade | Surface Area | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlos Lake | Douglas | A | 2,605 acres | 2.8 mi |
| Miltona Lake | Douglas | A | 5,731 acres | 3.5 mi |
| Ida Lake | Douglas | A | 4,445 acres | 3.8 mi |
| Le Homme Dieu Lake | Douglas | B | 1,801 acres | 4.7 mi |
| Alvin Lake | Douglas | B | 2,605 acres | 5.7 mi |
| Irene Lake | Douglas | B | 639 acres | 4.9 mi |
| Darling Lake | Douglas | A | 1,050 acres | 6.1 mi |
| Geneva Lake | Douglas | B | 640 acres | 7 mi |
Other Parks in the Area
- Inspiration Peak State Wayside Park— State Wayside, 15 mi
- Glendalough State Park— State Park, 28.1 mi
- Glacial Lakes State Park— State Park, 33 mi
- Charles A. Lindbergh State Park— State Park, 45.3 mi
Where to stay near Lake Carlos State Park
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Carlos State Park — find a place to stay close to the park and its nearby lakes.
Top-rated places to stay near Lake Carlos State Park
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a trip to Lake Carlos State Park?
Get lake water-quality report cards plus the best cabin & lodging deals near Lake Carlos State Park — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.