5 Clearest and Freshwater Lakes in the USA
When you think about swimming and sunbathing in the United States of America, the odds might be pretty good that you’re thinking about sunny coastal beaches in some of the prettiest states in the US, right? Folks go to Gulf Shores for spring break, they rollerskate along the Pacific Coast shoreline in Malibu, they go boating off of Martha’s Vineyard… yes, coastal beaches are a popular destination in America.
But the U.S. is also home to nearly 500,000 beautiful lakes, according to studies from the University of Michigan. And while I’d never say lakes are an underrated destination–having grown up spending my summers swimming in a popular East Texas lake, I know they see plenty of traffic!–I do think that they deserve a higher placement on vacation planning lists. Often surrounded by gorgeous wooded areas with lovely hiking paths, with plenty of wildlife to watch and, yes, beaches to lounge upon, American lakes can be real gems.
All lakes are not created equal, of course; the most popular lakes in America are those known for being almost supernaturally clean and clear, sparkling in the sun like diamonds. You see them on picture postcards, and maybe you’d even like to visit them, but you’re not sure where to go? No problem! We know the four cleanest lakes in the United States of America, and we’re totally ready to share.
1. Lake Superior
The greatest of America’s five Great Lakes–it clocks in at about 32,000 square miles, making it the largest freshwater lake in not just the U.S., but also the entire world by surface area–tops the list of the cleanest lakes in America. Lake Superior’s pollutant levels aren’t just low, they’re almost zero; incredible for a lake of its size! In addition to its low levels of pollution, Lake Superior has high oxygen and very low minerality, all of which contribute to its designation as America’s cleanest lake. The lake also has a catchment-to-surface area ratio of about 1.55; this means that there’s relatively little land that can drain into the water, a fairly amazing feat considering that the lake borders four states.
And even further contributing to the unusual clarity, Superior doesn’t even have a significant amount of algae due to its very low phosphorus levels! This is a lake that is clean and clear as the day is long.
Lake Superior is very large, but half of it is in Canada, so only the southern half is accessible to US travelers. But because it’s so large, even just half of the coastline bordering Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan is long and studded with marvelous towns and cities offering beautiful views–and plenty of opportunities to hunt Minnesota’s state gem, the Lake Superior Agate. The lake is also home to beautiful Isle Royale National Park, from whose northern shores you can actually see the Canadian coastline.
- Surface Area: 31,700 square miles
- Length: 350 miles, east to west
- Maximum Depth: 1,333 feet
- Elevation: 600 feet above sea level
- Water Volume: 2,900 cubic miles
2. Lake Chelan
Lake Chelan is a long, slender finger of freshwater lake winding its way through Washington State’s Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest. Washington State is home to over 8,000 lakes all on its own, so for one of those to come in second to the enormity of Lake Superior in the cleanliness race–the pollution score here is a microscopic 0.14 out of ten–is an amazing feat, especially when you consider that at its deepest point, it’s nearly 1,500 feet deep. That is a lot of clean water!
The lake is so long and surrounded by so much of the Cascade mountain range, that many note that it closely resembles a Norwegian fjord–so if you can’t run off to Norway anytime soon, you might find that a boat tour of Lake Chelan could help ease any pining for the fjords you may be experiencing. It’s an especially ideal destination for beginner travelers, thanks to the gorgeous scenery and there’s a large number of recreational opportunities available–you can strap on your best boots and go hiking, get in some good fishing, rent a boat or hire a guide for a great boat tour… the possibilities are almost endless. Beware, though, it all might just set the bar rather high for your future travels!
The small town of Chelan at the lake’s southern tip is an excellent starting point for your Lake Chelan journey. There are plenty of hotels and motels to stay in–the charmingly rustic Lake Chelan Motel is a popular choice–and a number of truly excellent restaurants ranging from fine dining at Albatross to the nearest thing America can call a national dish, juicy burgers and hot crisp fries at the Lakeview Drive-in.
- Surface Area: 52.1 square miles
- Length: 50.5 miles, north to south
- Maximum Depth: 1,486 feet
- Elevation: 1,100 feet above sea level
- Water Volume: 4.66 cubic miles
3. Lake Hartwell
The spiky expanse of Lake Hartwell on the border of Georgia and South Carolina is a slightly unusual entry on the list of the cleanest lakes in the United States. It’s a newer, man-made lake, formed by the construction of the Hartwell Dam at the juncture of the Seneca, Savannah, and Tugaloo Rivers. With a pollution score of under 2 out of 10 and multiple varieties of bass in the waters, Lake Hartwell is a massively popular fishing lake for most of the year.
Since Lake Hartwell is fairly wide-ranging, there are a number of parks and recreation areas on its shores that make perfect pausing points during a road trip. Sadlers Creek State Park, Singing Pines Recreation Area, and Payne’s Creek Campground offer great views, easy lake access, and tons of nature activities–perfect whether you’re a traveling family or a solo explorer.
- Surface Area: 56,000 acres
- Length: About 50 miles
- Maximum Depth: 185 feet
- Elevation: 660 feet above sea level
- Water Volume: 2,550,000 acre-feet
Read More: Solo Travel Essentials
4. Lake of the Ozarks
Another man-made marvel of engineering, Lake of the Ozarks is a spiky, snakey vestige of multiple river tributaries in Northwestern Missouri; it’s so twisty and winding that it’s commonly called The Missouri Dragon.
It’s also an incredibly popular vacation destination, especially for families and large groups. The levels of traffic the lake sees make it something of a miracle that it’s been named in the top ten cleanest lakes in the United States, with an incredible score of just 1.85 out of ten. It sees a lot of camping, fishing, and hiking traffic, not to mention the large number of residents in the area, and has had a reputation for being less clean in the past. But annual shoreline cleanup rallies and other initiatives have paved the way for Lake of the Ozarks to sit pretty in fourth place on the clean lakes list.
- Surface Area: 54,000 acres
- Length: 93 miles
- Maximum Depth: 130 feet
- Elevation: 659 feet above sea level
- Water Volume: 1,927,000 acre feet
5. Honorable Mention: Lake Tahoe
While it didn’t make the Lake.com list of America’s cleanest lakes, Lake Tahoe has long had a reputation for being the second clearest lake in the country, with an average clarity of 70 feet. And according to their own records, the water has a purity level of 99.994%, just a few tiny percentage points below distilled water in purity.
Slung along the California-Nevada border, high in the mountains, thousands of skiing enthusiasts annually make the trek to hit the slopes of the 20+ ski resorts in the area; the snow in the Alpine Lake Tahoe area is some of the choicest powder around. But really intrepid winter bunnies can even try their hand at rowing a boat in the lake in the chilly months! The lake never freezes as it’s among the deepest lakes in the U.S., so year-round rowing is possible… but not easy; you’ll certainly need to pack your warmest winter gear for this adventure!
- Surface Area: 216 square miles
- Length: 22 miles
- Maximum Depth: 1,645 feet
- Elevation: 6,225 feet above sea level
- Water Volume: 36 cubic miles