Best Kayaking Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

The best lakes for kayaking in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Grade A and B water quality, public access, and ideal paddling size (50-2,000 acres). Crystal clear water for paddling.

100

Lakes

100

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Swimming Boating Kayaking Ice Fishing

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Clarity	Area	Depth
1	East Fox Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	16.1 ft	240.88 acres	65 ft
2	Lower Hay Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	19 ft	700.21 acres	100 ft
3	Latoka Lake	Douglas	MN	A	19 ft	766.63 acres	108 ft
4	Bad Medicine Lake	Becker	MN	A	25 ft	803.03 acres	84 ft
5	Big Sugar Bush Lake	Becker	MN	A	17 ft	521.51 acres	42 ft
6	Birch Lake	Wright	MN	A	15 ft	99.82 acres	52 ft
7	Birch Lake	Cook	MN	A	18 ft	236.31 acres	69 ft
8	Round Lake	Aitkin	MN	A	15.3 ft	634.03 acres	59 ft
9	Round Lake	Cook	MN	A	16.5 ft	154.48 acres	45 ft
10	Pike Lake	Cook	MN	A	17.8 ft	814.43 acres	45 ft
11	Pike Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	18 ft	488.26 acres	60 ft
12	Horseshoe Lake	Cass	MN	A	21 ft	260.32 acres	51 ft
13	Long Lake	Clearwater	MN	A	20 ft	158.86 acres	80 ft
14	Long Lake	Cass	MN	A	21.8 ft	1.0K acres	115 ft
15	Long Lake	Becker	MN	A	20 ft	414.51 acres	61 ft
16	Long Lake	Cass	MN	A	16.8 ft	246.3 acres	37 ft
17	Long Lake	Itasca	MN	A	16.7 ft	155.28 acres	72 ft
18	Long Lake	Itasca	MN	A	16.9 ft	134.49 acres	85 ft
19	Unnamed Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	15.1 ft	1.4K acres	95 ft
20	Maple Lake	Itasca	MN	A	15.3 ft	254.55 acres	39 ft
21	Shallow Lake	Itasca	MN	A	16.4 ft	538.95 acres	85 ft
22	Trout Lake	Itasca	MN	A	15.5 ft	1.9K acres	135 ft
23	Trout Lake	Cook	MN	A	19 ft	258.91 acres	77 ft
24	Chippewa Lake	Douglas	MN	A	15.1 ft	1.2K acres	95 ft
25	Cowdry Lake	Douglas	MN	A	17 ft	242.54 acres	52 ft
26	Ossawinnamakee Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	20 ft	711.33 acres	63 ft
27	Clear Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	18 ft	225.91 acres	63 ft
28	Clear Lake	Aitkin	MN	A	16 ft	573.5 acres	24 ft
29	Clear Lake	Itasca	MN	A	14.9 ft	140.4 acres	30 ft
30	Blue Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	17.4 ft	336.35 acres	84 ft
31	Eagle Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	22.6 ft	907.4 acres	46 ft
32	Upper Maple Lake	Wright	MN	A	18 ft	632.6 acres	76 ft
33	Partridge Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	16.2 ft	187.56 acres	42 ft
34	Roger Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	16 ft	239.99 acres	64 ft
35	Square Lake	Washington	MN	A	17 ft	203.05 acres	68 ft
36	Tofte Lake	Lake	MN	A	18.5 ft	133.78 acres	73 ft
37	Andrusia Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	15.5 ft	1.6K acres	60 ft
38	Girl Lake	Cass	MN	A	17 ft	428.18 acres	81 ft
39	Little Toad Lake	Becker	MN	A	15 ft	406.32 acres	65 ft
40	Charlotte Lake	Wright	MN	A	17.1 ft	252.52 acres	46 ft
41	Big Mcdonald Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	16.4 ft	991.7 acres	46 ft
42	Bass Lake	Itasca	MN	A	18.2 ft	121.69 acres	65 ft
43	Bass Lake	Cass	MN	A	—	194.75 acres	55 ft
44	Island Lake	Cass	MN	A	15 ft	358.3 acres	45 ft
45	Island Lake	Cass	MN	A	17.5 ft	184.26 acres	40 ft
46	Island Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	16.4 ft	225.21 acres	32 ft
47	Crooked Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	15 ft	905.49 acres	54 ft
48	Cedar Lake	Morrison	MN	A	16.4 ft	235.64 acres	88 ft
49	Big Pine Lake	Aitkin	MN	A	16.5 ft	638.02 acres	78 ft
50	Lizzie Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	16.4 ft	1.9K acres	66 ft
51	Eagles Nest Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	15.5 ft	1.0K acres	49 ft
52	Turtle Lake	Becker	MN	A	23 ft	196.39 acres	73 ft
53	Pickerel Lake	Becker	MN	A	18 ft	360.63 acres	74 ft
54	Pickerel Lake	Clearwater	MN	A	16.1 ft	143.43 acres	60 ft
55	Strawberry Lake	Becker	MN	A	17.8 ft	1.5K acres	40 ft
56	George Lake	Kandiyohi	MN	A	15 ft	228.14 acres	34 ft
57	Middle Cormorant Lake	Becker	MN	A	15.1 ft	373.19 acres	40 ft
58	Mcavity Lake	Itasca	MN	A	17 ft	147 acres	29 ft
59	Upper Bottle Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	16 ft	459.14 acres	55 ft
60	Devil'S Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	15 ft	355.3 acres	67 ft
61	Hand Lake	Cass	MN	A	17 ft	289.21 acres	57 ft
62	Ox Yoke Lake	Cass	MN	A	17.5 ft	185.33 acres	42 ft
63	Silver Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	17 ft	208.41 acres	23 ft
64	Caribou Lake	Itasca	MN	A	31 ft	246.5 acres	152 ft
65	Little Mantrap Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	17 ft	380.95 acres	54 ft
66	Kimball Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	17.4 ft	189.78 acres	77 ft
67	Crystal Lake	Cass	MN	A	16 ft	190.2 acres	40 ft
68	West Sylvia Lake	Wright	MN	A	22 ft	904.39 acres	97 ft
69	Serpent Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	25 ft	1.1K acres	65 ft
70	North Twin Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	17.4 ft	325.63 acres	59 ft
71	Mary Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	19.5 ft	235.22 acres	48 ft
72	Stuart Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	16.1 ft	739.74 acres	49 ft
73	Mina Lake	Douglas	MN	A	16 ft	411.41 acres	123 ft
74	North Star Lake	Itasca	MN	A	19 ft	831.62 acres	90 ft
75	Pleasant Lake	Cass	MN	A	15.4 ft	1.1K acres	72 ft
76	Little Bass Lake	Itasca	MN	A	17.7 ft	160.5 acres	62 ft
77	Little Bass Lake	Clearwater	MN	A	—	50.54 acres	35 ft
78	Little Mcdonald Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	26.9 ft	1.3K acres	109 ft
79	Webb Lake	Cass	MN	A	17.8 ft	720.03 acres	84 ft
80	Napoleon Lake	Itasca	MN	A	18 ft	138 acres	30 ft
81	Big Trout Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	16.4 ft	1.4K acres	128 ft
82	Big Watab Lake	Stearns	MN	A	20.5 ft	245.56 acres	123 ft
83	East Twin Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	15 ft	163.33 acres	45 ft
84	11 Crow Wing Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	18.4 ft	750.97 acres	80 ft
85	Elbow Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	18.5 ft	188.36 acres	46 ft
86	Emma Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	19.5 ft	78.43 acres	50 ft
87	Perch Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	16 ft	265.91 acres	40 ft
88	Thunder Lake	Cass	MN	A	16.4 ft	1.3K acres	95 ft
89	Sanburn Lake	Cass	MN	A	19 ft	220.31 acres	48 ft
90	Hungry Jack Lake	Cook	MN	A	18 ft	474.28 acres	71 ft
91	Scalp Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	20 ft	254.38 acres	90 ft
92	Pine Lake	Morrison	MN	A	15.1 ft	177.68 acres	59 ft
93	Pine Lake	Cass	MN	A	16 ft	260.5 acres	25 ft
94	West Silent Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	18 ft	346.55 acres	58 ft
95	Spider (Ne Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	17.1 ft	569.52 acres	96 ft
96	Lougee Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	16 ft	211.87 acres	53 ft
97	Little Long Lake	Itasca	MN	A	16 ft	304.55 acres	61 ft
98	Little Long Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	21 ft	322.24 acres	45 ft
99	Rose Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	15 ft	1.2K acres	137 ft
100	Ponto Lake	Cass	MN	A	19 ft	388.05 acres	60 ft

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes a lake ideal for kayaking?

The best kayaking lakes have clean, clear water (Grade A or B), public access for launching, and are sized between 50 and 2,000 acres. Too small and there is not much to explore; too large and wind can create dangerous conditions for paddlers.

Can I kayak on any public lake?

Yes, all public lakes in Minnesota and Wisconsin are open to non-motorized watercraft like kayaks and canoes. Many lakes on this list have designated paddle-in campsites and nature areas accessible only from the water.