The 5 Clearest Lakes in the United States
In a country with over 500,000 stunning lakes, it’s a no-brainer to say that many a vacation each summer is going to center around one of America’s beautiful inland bodies of water. And of course when you’re planning your family getaway, one of your most important considerations is going to be how clean the lake is; after all, you and your kids are sure to be spending as much time as possible splashing and floating around under the sunny skies, so water clarity and cleanliness is of the utmost importance.
If you need a bit of help figuring out where to go on this year’s lake escape, good news! We’ve got the scoop on the top five cleanest lakes and all the info you need to help make your summer laze by the lake a healthy and happy one.
Note: Each lake below is ranked across four measurable criteria: Turbidity Score, Pollution Score, Phosphorus Level, and Oxygen Level, here’s how they compare.
| Lake | Turbidity Score | Pollution Score | Phosphorus Level | Oxygen Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Superior | 0.44 NTU | ~0.02 / 10 | ~0.005–0.007 mg/L | ~10.4 mg/L |
| Lake Chelan | 0.25 NTU | 0.14 / 10 | ~0.004–0.006 mg/L | ~9.8–11.5 mg/L |
| Lake Hartwell | 1.10 NTU | Under 2 / 10 | ~0.015–0.025 mg/L | ~7.0–9.5 mg/L |
| Lake of the Ozarks | 2.30 NTU | 1.85 / 10 | ~0.020–0.040 mg/L | ~6.5–8.5 mg/L |
| Lake Tohae | 0.27 NTU | ~0.18 / 10 | ~0.005–0.015 mg/L | ~8.8–9.5 mg/L |
1. Lake Superior
The greatest of America’s five Great Lakes–it clocks in at about 32,000 square miles and holds 10% of the earth’s freshwater resource, making it the largest lake not just in 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 with a turbidity score of 0.44; incredible for a lake of its size!
In addition to its low levels of pollution, Lake Superior has high oxygen (10.45 mg/L) 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. Being the cleanest lake, this lake is home to over 80 fish species including 17 native species of fish, 15 non-native fish species and many other freshwater aquatic species.
Lake Superior is cleaner than many water bodies, but it has also been exposed to misuse and some levels of pollution through the years. Deforestation, industrial discharges, and municipal waste have all contributed to the decline in water quality. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the estimated retention time is 191 years, meaning water-soluble pollutants introduced today could persist for almost 200 years. Summer days on the Western shore of Lake Superior are longer as the sun sets more than 35 minutes later than the Sourthern shore of the lake.
Lake Superior is very large, and half of it is in Canada, so the lake is kept clean with the aid of a coalition of the US EPA and Environment & Climate Change Canada as well as a number of environmental groups and agencies at the state level. This allows the lake’s 3.5 million annual visitors to enjoy boating, fishing, dogsledding, exploring the cities along the coastline of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, and of course plenty of opportunities to hunt Minnesota’s state gem, the Lake Superior Agate. There’s lots to do all year round, but unsurprisingly, the most popular times to visit are summer for the swimming and hiking options, and autumn for the absolutely breathtaking color displays in the woodlands around the lake.
- 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, kept low through the efforts of the Washington State Department of Ecology and several local governmental and non-profit agencies–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, which the Chamber of Commerce recommends that you undertake in September for the gorgeous weather and smaller tourist crowds. There are plenty of hotels and motels to stay in–the charmingly rustic Lake Chelan Motel is a popular choice with the Lake Chelan Valley’s 2 million annual visitors 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.
Take a slow walk by the water, hop on a boat for the sunset, or grab dinner with the mountains as your backdrop. When you do, you’ll see why so many newlyweds flock here once the wedding chaos ends. Lake Chelan is one of the best honeymoon spots in the country in late August or November as it gives you peace, gorgeous views, and a relaxed vibe.
Read Also: Most Beautiful Sunsets Around the World
- 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. Kept clean with the help of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a number of local organizations such as Lake Hartwell Partners for Clean Water, the lake boasts 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.
With so much to do, is it any wonder that over nine million visitors make their way to Lake Hartwell each year? Head there in September to enjoy less-scorching temps and quieter waters
- 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
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; summer is the most crowded time of year, so if you want to avoid that, visit in the springtime for lovely blooming foliage and milder temperatures. 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 you can thank the Lake of the Ozarks Watershed Alliance for spearheading some very thorough cleaning efforts year round!.
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. Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe visited by approximately two million unique tourists each year 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. Keep Tahoe Blue works hard and in cooperation with a number of state government agencies to maintain these purity levels, and have been the stewards of the lake’s clarity since 1957.
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
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Map of the United States with Lakes and Rivers
Frequently Asked Questions
Lake Superior ranks as the cleanest lake in the US with turbidity score of 0.44 almost zero and high oxygen level.
That’s Crater Lake, which at just under 2,000 feet of depth is still only the tenth deepest lake in the world. Lake Baikal in Russia sits pretty at number one with over twice the depth.
Despite the name, alpine lakes don’t only mean lakes located in the Alps. It refers to high-altitude, often mountainous and glacial lakes–and in America; Lake Tahoe reigns supreme in this category with 122 million acre feet of water.
Lake Superior stretches approximately 350 miles (563 km) from west to east, making it the largest of the Great Lakes by surface area. At its widest point, the lake spans about 160 miles (258 km) and features an impressive shoreline ranging from roughly 2,726 to 2,826 miles, including its islands and inlets.
Some of the prettiest lakes in the US include Lake Tahoe, Crater Lake, and Lake Powell, all known for their crystal-clear water, stunning mountain scenery, and vibrant blue colors.
Lake Hartwell’s current water level is 652.81 ft above sea level, sitting about 7 feet below its full pool elevation of 660 ft.
