Most Popular Lakes in Minnesota (Minneapolis, Duluth: houses, live, legally)

[MINresident]

1) What are the best/most popular lakes in Minnesota?

EXCLUDE LAKE SUPERIOR

Popular Ones I hear
- Lake Minnetonka (Minnetonka, Wayzata)
- White Bear Lake (White Bear Lake)
- Gull Lake (Brainerd)
- Lake Vermillion (Tower, near Ely)
- Island Lake (north of Duluth)
- Pokegama Lake (Grand Rapids)
- Lake of the Woods??? (near Warroad, into Canada)

2) Also, what lakes have the most activities?

3) If you could live on any lake - with money not being an object - what lake would you chose?

As per the DNR, the largest lakes by acerage (entirely within the state are):

1. Red Lake (both "Upper" and "Lower") - 288,800 acres
2. Mille Lacs Lake - 132,516 acres
3. Leech Lake - 111,527 acres
4. Lake Winnibigoshish - 58,544 acres
5. Lake Vermilion - 40,557 acres
6. Lake Kabetogama - 25,760 acres
7. Mud Lake (Marshall County) - 23,700 acres
8. Cass Lake - 15,596
9. Lake Minnetonka - 14,004 acres
10. Otter Tail Lake - 13,725 acres

[tvdxer]

Originally Posted by MINresident

1) What are the best/most popular lakes in Minnesota?

EXCLUDE LAKE SUPERIOR

Popular Ones I hear
- Lake Minnetonka (Minnetonka, Wayzata)
- White Bear Lake (White Bear Lake)
- Gull Lake (Brainerd)
- Lake Vermillion (Tower, near Ely)
- Island Lake (north of Duluth)
- Pokegama Lake (Grand Rapids)
- Lake of the Woods??? (near Warroad, into Canada)

The most popular lakes (excluding Superior) are probably the ones in Minneapolis and the surrounding area (Lake Harriet, Lake Minnetonka, Lake Calhoun) and Mille Lacs (especially during ice fishing season), as well as some of the other lakes in Central Minnesota (Leech Lake, Big Sandy Lake, etc.) and the Boundary Waters. Minnesota, as you probably already know, is an extremely diverse state in terms of lakes. We have cold, big lakes with numerous islands (Lake of the Woods), 400 - foot deep mining pits now filled with water and used as swimming or fishing lakes (legally or illegally), warm, small lakes in the summer, and of course, the biggest one of them all, Lake Superior.

[marmac]

I would say nearly all lakes in Minnesota are quite popular ( big and small) as it's hard to find any buildable spots left on any lake in Minnesota.

I could compile a long list of lakes in central Minnesota that most posters never heard of, and on most weekends they are quite busy with parked trucks and boat trailers at the public access with fishermen and water skiers taking advantage of those lakes.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by marmac

I would say nearly all lakes in Minnesota are quite popular ( big and small) as it's hard to find any buildable spots left on any lake in Minnesota.

I could compile a long list of lakes in central Minnesota that most posters never heard of, and on most weekends they are quite busy with parked trucks and boat trailers at the public access with fishermen and water skiers taking advantage of those lakes.

True, the lakes around Willmar, Spicer and Alexandria are probably as busy as those in Minneapolis if you count actual water usage and not just walking around the lakes for exercise, probably more popular actually.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by MINresident

1) What are the best/most popular lakes in Minnesota?

Best in what way?

The Whitefish chain up by Crosslake, etc., is one of the better places to cruise in a pontoon boat.

[Kid Cann]

Minnesota has some great lakes. In fact, Minnesota has somewhere around 15,000 Official Lakes 10 + acres, and over 10,000 more unclassified lakes and ponds.

Here are the biggest lakes in Minnesota
Minnesota (in acres)
1. Red Lake - 289,000
2. Mille Lacs Lake - 133,000
3. Leech Lake - 112,000
4. Lake Winnibigoshish - 59,000
5. Lake Vermilion - 41,000
6. Lake Kabetogama - 26,000
7. Mud Lake - 24,000
8. Cass Lake - 18,000
9. Lake Minnetonka - 14,000
10. Otter Tail Lake - 14,000

Most popular based on name recognition:
1. Lake Minnetonka
2. Lake Mille Lacs
3. White Bear Lake
4. Lake of the Woods
5. Lake Vermillion
6. Gull Lake
7. Red Lake
8. Leech Lake
9. Cass Lake
10. Lake Bemidji

Urban Lakes (city limits of MPLS and STP)
1. Lake Calhoun
2. Cedar Lake
3. Lake of the Isles
4. Lake Harriet
5. Lake Nokomis
6. Diamond Lake
7. Hiawatha Lake
8. Lake Phalen
9. Lake Como
10. Pigs Eye Lake
11. Crystal Lake

Some of the best lakes for activity:
Anywhere in the Brainerd Lakes area - Lake Edward, North Long Lake, Pelican Lake, Gull Lake, Round Lake... and Alexandria Lakes area..

Cross Lake area is 'money' lakes area for up north

[MINresident]

Originally Posted by Kid Cann

Some of the best lakes for activity:
Anywhere in the Brainerd Lakes area - Lake Edward, North Long Lake, Pelican Lake, Gull Lake, Round Lake... and Alexandria Lakes area..

Cross Lake area is 'money' lakes area for up north

Is there any reason that so many Minneapolis residents have cabins or secondary houses in Brainerd?

I mean, you think they would try to boat at some of the area lakes unless:
1) they want to get away
2) they can't afford a cabin on twin cities lakes

Are motor boats not allowed on Lake Calhoun?

[marmac]

1) ---yes
2)----yes

[Cruz Azul Guy]

Originally Posted by MINresident

Is there any reason that so many Minneapolis residents have cabins or secondary houses in Brainerd?

I mean, you think they would try to boat at some of the area lakes unless:
1) they want to get away
2) they can't afford a cabin on twin cities lakes

Are motor boats not allowed on Lake Calhoun?

excerpt from: Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board - Boat and Canoe Launches

Watercraft and Electric Trolling Motors
The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board does not require permits for watercrafts and electric trolling motors on Minneapolis city lakes. Gas power motors are not allowed on Minneapolis city lakes. If you have a gas powered motor on your boat, it must be propped up and out of the water. Only electric trolling motors are allowed to be used.

[Kid Cann]

Originally Posted by MINresident

Is there any reason that so many Minneapolis residents have cabins or secondary houses in Brainerd?

I mean, you think they would try to boat at some of the area lakes unless:
1) they want to get away
2) they can't afford a cabin on twin cities lakes

Are motor boats not allowed on Lake Calhoun?

Because it's a place to get away and the area is beautiful.
The amount of lakes in that small of an area is incredible too.

probably the same reason why so many people in NYC head up state.