Updated August 2026

Best Public Access Lakes

The top 50 lakes with a documented public boat ramp or access point, ranked on nutrient and algae readings, across all United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs. we cover. Access data comes from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory plus state environmental and natural-resource agency records — always confirm current access and any fees with the managing agency before you go.

Best Water Quality with Public Access

Rank	Lake	County	State	Depth	Fish Species
1	Crane Lake	Otter Tail	MN	43 ft	0
2	Lobster Lake	Douglas	MN	65 ft	18
3	East Fox Lake	Crow Wing	MN	65 ft	15
4	Clearwater Lake	Wright	MN	73 ft	17
5	Clearwater Lake	Crow Wing	MN	54 ft	16
6	Clearwater Lake	Clearwater	MN	65 ft	14
7	Lower Hay Lake	Crow Wing	MN	100 ft	21
8	Latoka Lake	Douglas	MN	108 ft	16
9	Little Birch Lake	Todd	MN	89 ft	20
10	North Long Lake	Crow Wing	MN	97 ft	18
11	Bad Medicine Lake	Becker	MN	84 ft	13
12	Mud Lake	Becker	MN	34 ft	16
13	Big Lake	Beltrami	MN	35 ft	17
14	Big Lake	Carlton	MN	25 ft	9
15	Big Lake	Sherburne	MN	48 ft	14
16	Big Lake	St. Louis	MN	22 ft	8
17	Big Sugar Bush Lake	Becker	MN	42 ft	13
18	Pelican Lake	Otter Tail	MN	55 ft	20
19	Pelican Lake	Crow Wing	MN	104 ft	17
20	Birch Lake	Wright	MN	52 ft	9
21	Birch Lake	Cook	MN	69 ft	3
22	Birch Lake	Cass	MN	45 ft	14
23	Round Lake	Aitkin	MN	125 ft	18
24	Round Lake	Crow Wing	MN	51 ft	20
25	Round Lake	Cook	MN	45 ft	5
26	Round Lake	Otter Tail	MN	24 ft	0
27	Round Lake	Becker	MN	69 ft	18
28	Round Lake	Anoka	MN	-	0
29	Ada Lake	Cass	MN	60 ft	16
30	Pike Lake	Cook	MN	45 ft	7
31	Whitefish Lake	Crow Wing	MN	138 ft	23
32	Whitefish Lake	Beltrami	MN	30 ft	12
33	Horseshoe Lake	Crow Wing	MN	56 ft	11
34	Horseshoe Lake	Cass	MN	12 ft	0
35	Farm Lake	Lake	MN	56 ft	12
36	Washburn Lake	Cass	MN	111 ft	21
37	Long Lake	Kandiyohi	MN	46 ft	15
38	Long Lake	Clearwater	MN	80 ft	15
39	Long Lake	Cass	MN	115 ft	14
40	Long Lake	Otter Tail	MN	128 ft	16
41	Long Lake	Becker	MN	61 ft	16
42	Long Lake	Hubbard	MN	135 ft	14
43	Long Lake	Otter Tail	MN	88 ft	1
44	Long Lake	Beltrami	MN	83 ft	0
45	Long Lake	Otter Tail	MN	73 ft	17
46	Long Lake	Itasca	MN	72 ft	10
47	Long Lake	Itasca	MN	85 ft	12
48	Dead Lake	Hubbard	MN	34 ft	9
49	Dead Lake	Otter Tail	MN	65 ft	18
50	Unnamed Lake	Nicollet	MN	35 ft	6

Best Lakes with Boat Launches

Rank	Lake	County	State	Launches	Depth
1	Lobster Lake	Douglas	MN	2	65 ft
2	East Fox Lake	Crow Wing	MN	1	65 ft
3	Clearwater Lake	Crow Wing	MN	1	54 ft
4	Clearwater Lake	Clearwater	MN	1	65 ft
5	Latoka Lake	Douglas	MN	1	108 ft
6	Little Birch Lake	Todd	MN	1	89 ft
7	North Long Lake	Crow Wing	MN	2	97 ft
8	Bad Medicine Lake	Becker	MN	1	84 ft
9	Big Lake	Beltrami	MN	1	35 ft
10	Big Lake	Carlton	MN	1	25 ft
11	Big Lake	St. Louis	MN	1	22 ft
12	Big Sugar Bush Lake	Becker	MN	1	42 ft
13	Pelican Lake	Otter Tail	MN	1	55 ft
14	Pelican Lake	Crow Wing	MN	2	104 ft
15	Birch Lake	Cass	MN	1	45 ft
16	Round Lake	Aitkin	MN	1	125 ft
17	Round Lake	Crow Wing	MN	1	51 ft
18	Round Lake	Becker	MN	1	69 ft
19	Round Lake	Anoka	MN	1	-
20	Ada Lake	Cass	MN	1	60 ft
21	Pike Lake	Cook	MN	1	45 ft
22	Whitefish Lake	Beltrami	MN	1	30 ft
23	Farm Lake	Lake	MN	1	56 ft
24	Washburn Lake	Cass	MN	1	111 ft
25	Long Lake	Kandiyohi	MN	2	46 ft
26	Long Lake	Cass	MN	1	115 ft
27	Long Lake	Otter Tail	MN	1	128 ft
28	Long Lake	Becker	MN	1	61 ft
29	Long Lake	Hubbard	MN	1	135 ft
30	Long Lake	Otter Tail	MN	1	88 ft
31	Long Lake	Otter Tail	MN	1	73 ft
32	Long Lake	Itasca	MN	1	72 ft
33	Dead Lake	Otter Tail	MN	3	65 ft
34	Maple Lake	Douglas	MN	3	78 ft
35	Maple Lake	Itasca	MN	1	39 ft
36	West Twin Lake	Crow Wing	MN	1	42 ft
37	West Twin Lake	Cook	MN	1	37 ft
38	Shallow Lake	Itasca	MN	1	85 ft
39	Shallow Lake	Hubbard	MN	1	10 ft
40	Detroit Lake	Becker	MN	3	89 ft
41	South Sturgeon Lake	St. Louis	MN	1	43 ft
42	Sallie Lake	Becker	MN	1	50 ft
43	Deer Lake	Beltrami	MN	1	42 ft
44	Deer Lake	Otter Tail	MN	1	26 ft
45	Deer Lake	Itasca	MN	2	121 ft
46	Chippewa Lake	Douglas	MN	1	95 ft
47	Otter Lake	Ramsey	MN	1	21 ft
48	Lida Lake	Otter Tail	MN	1	58 ft
49	Schram Lake	Beltrami	MN	3	-
50	Cowdry Lake	Douglas	MN	1	52 ft

Cleanest Lakes →Clearest Water →Improving →Declining →

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