Best Swimming Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

The best lakes for swimming in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Grade A and B water quality, public beach access, and clean water. Ranked by clarity, safety, and accessibility.

100

Lakes

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Swimming Boating Kayaking Ice Fishing

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Clarity	Beaches	Area
1	Geneva Lake	Walworth	WI	A	19 ft	6	5.4K acres
2	Long Lake	Fond du Lac	WI	A	32.8 ft	2	423 acres
3	Rock Lake	Jefferson	WI	A	39.4 ft	2	1.4K acres
4	Clear Lake	Oneida	WI	A	—	2	873 acres
5	Devils Lake	Sauk	WI	A	34.9 ft	2	374 acres
6	Geneva Lake	Walworth	WI	A	20.7 ft	6	5.4K acres
7	Geneva Lake Site B	Walworth	WI	A	24.1 ft	6	5.4K acres
8	Green Lake	Green Lake	WI	B	13.3 ft	3	7.9K acres
9	Lake Mendota	Dane	WI	B	18 ft	7	9.8K acres
10	Green Lake	Green Lake	WI	B	13 ft	3	7.9K acres
11	Green Lake	Green Lake	WI	B	14.1 ft	3	7.9K acres
12	Lake St. Croix	St. Croix	WI	B	5.6 ft	6	7.7K acres
13	Green Lake East Basin	Green Lake	WI	B	11.8 ft	3	7.9K acres
14	East Fox Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	16.1 ft	—	240.88 acres
15	Lower Hay Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	19 ft	—	700.21 acres
16	Latoka Lake	Douglas	MN	A	19 ft	—	766.63 acres
17	Bad Medicine Lake	Becker	MN	A	25 ft	—	803.03 acres
18	Big Sugar Bush Lake	Becker	MN	A	17 ft	—	521.51 acres
19	Pelican Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	16.1 ft	—	4.0K acres
20	Birch Lake	Wright	MN	A	15 ft	—	99.82 acres
21	Birch Lake	Cook	MN	A	18 ft	—	236.31 acres
22	Round Lake	Aitkin	MN	A	15.3 ft	—	634.03 acres
23	Round Lake	Cook	MN	A	16.5 ft	—	154.48 acres
24	Pike Lake	Cook	MN	A	17.8 ft	—	814.43 acres
25	Pike Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	18 ft	—	488.26 acres
26	Whitefish Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	15.1 ft	—	7.7K acres
27	Horseshoe Lake	Cass	MN	A	21 ft	—	260.32 acres
28	Long Lake	Clearwater	MN	A	20 ft	—	158.86 acres
29	Long Lake	Cass	MN	A	21.8 ft	—	1.0K acres
30	Long Lake	Becker	MN	A	20 ft	—	414.51 acres
31	Long Lake	Cass	MN	A	16.8 ft	—	246.3 acres
32	Long Lake	Itasca	MN	A	16.7 ft	—	155.28 acres
33	Long Lake	Itasca	MN	A	16.9 ft	—	134.49 acres
34	Unnamed Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	15.1 ft	—	1.4K acres
35	Maple Lake	Itasca	MN	A	15.3 ft	—	254.55 acres
36	Shallow Lake	Itasca	MN	A	16.4 ft	—	538.95 acres
37	Trout Lake	Itasca	MN	A	15.5 ft	—	1.9K acres
38	Trout Lake	Cook	MN	A	19 ft	—	258.91 acres
39	Chippewa Lake	Douglas	MN	A	15.1 ft	—	1.2K acres
40	Cowdry Lake	Douglas	MN	A	17 ft	—	242.54 acres
41	Ossawinnamakee Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	20 ft	—	711.33 acres
42	Clear Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	18 ft	—	225.91 acres
43	Clear Lake	Aitkin	MN	A	16 ft	—	573.5 acres
44	Clear Lake	Itasca	MN	A	14.9 ft	—	140.4 acres
45	Blue Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	17.4 ft	—	336.35 acres
46	Eagle Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	22.6 ft	—	907.4 acres
47	Ida Lake	Douglas	MN	A	16.5 ft	—	4.4K acres
48	Star Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	16.7 ft	—	4.5K acres
49	Upper Maple Lake	Wright	MN	A	18 ft	—	632.6 acres
50	Partridge Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	16.2 ft	—	187.56 acres
51	Roger Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	16 ft	—	239.99 acres
52	Square Lake	Washington	MN	A	17 ft	—	203.05 acres
53	Tofte Lake	Lake	MN	A	18.5 ft	—	133.78 acres
54	Andrusia Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	15.5 ft	—	1.6K acres
55	Girl Lake	Cass	MN	A	17 ft	—	428.18 acres
56	Little Toad Lake	Becker	MN	A	15 ft	—	406.32 acres
57	Charlotte Lake	Wright	MN	A	17.1 ft	—	252.52 acres
58	Big Mcdonald Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	16.4 ft	—	991.7 acres
59	Bass Lake	Itasca	MN	A	18.2 ft	—	121.69 acres
60	Bass Lake	Cass	MN	A	—	—	194.75 acres
61	Island Lake	Cass	MN	A	15 ft	—	358.3 acres
62	Island Lake	Cass	MN	A	17.5 ft	—	184.26 acres
63	Island Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	16.4 ft	—	225.21 acres
64	Crooked Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	15 ft	—	905.49 acres
65	Cedar Lake	Morrison	MN	A	16.4 ft	—	235.64 acres
66	Big Pine Lake	Aitkin	MN	A	16.5 ft	—	638.02 acres
67	Lizzie Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	16.4 ft	—	1.9K acres
68	Eagles Nest Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	15.5 ft	—	1.0K acres
69	Turtle Lake	Becker	MN	A	23 ft	—	196.39 acres
70	Pokegama Lake	Itasca	MN	A	16 ft	—	6.7K acres
71	Pickerel Lake	Becker	MN	A	18 ft	—	360.63 acres
72	Pickerel Lake	Clearwater	MN	A	16.1 ft	—	143.43 acres
73	Strawberry Lake	Becker	MN	A	17.8 ft	—	1.5K acres
74	Alexander Lake	Morrison	MN	A	16.5 ft	—	2.7K acres
75	George Lake	Kandiyohi	MN	A	15 ft	—	228.14 acres
76	Middle Cormorant Lake	Becker	MN	A	15.1 ft	—	373.19 acres
77	Mcavity Lake	Itasca	MN	A	17 ft	—	147 acres
78	Gull Lake	Cook	MN	A	16.4 ft	—	—
79	Upper Bottle Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	16 ft	—	459.14 acres
80	Devil'S Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	15 ft	—	355.3 acres
81	Hand Lake	Cass	MN	A	17 ft	—	289.21 acres
82	Ox Yoke Lake	Cass	MN	A	17.5 ft	—	185.33 acres
83	Miltona Lake	Douglas	MN	A	18.8 ft	—	5.7K acres
84	Silver Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	19.3 ft	—	45.63 acres
85	Silver Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	17 ft	—	208.41 acres
86	Caribou Lake	Itasca	MN	A	31 ft	—	246.5 acres
87	West Battle Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	18.2 ft	—	5.6K acres
88	Wabana Lake	Itasca	MN	A	18 ft	—	2.2K acres
89	Little Mantrap Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	17 ft	—	380.95 acres
90	Kimball Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	17.4 ft	—	189.78 acres
91	Crystal Lake	Cass	MN	A	16 ft	—	190.2 acres
92	West Sylvia Lake	Wright	MN	A	22 ft	—	904.39 acres
93	Serpent Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	25 ft	—	1.1K acres
94	North Twin Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	17.4 ft	—	325.63 acres
95	Mary Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	19.5 ft	—	235.22 acres
96	Stuart Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	16.1 ft	—	739.74 acres
97	Mina Lake	Douglas	MN	A	16 ft	—	411.41 acres
98	North Star Lake	Itasca	MN	A	19 ft	—	831.62 acres
99	Pleasant Lake	Cass	MN	A	15.4 ft	—	1.1K acres
100	Little Bass Lake	Itasca	MN	A	17.7 ft	—	160.5 acres

Frequently Asked Questions

Which lakes are safest for swimming in Minnesota and Wisconsin?

The safest swimming lakes have Grade A or B water quality, meaning low algae levels, high water clarity, and minimal risk of harmful algae blooms. All lakes on this list have public beach access and excellent water quality scores.

How is swimming safety determined?

Swimming safety is based on three factors: water clarity (Secchi depth), phosphorus levels (which fuel algae growth), and chlorophyll-a concentration (a measure of actual algae present). Grade A and B lakes have the lowest risk of harmful algae blooms.