Highest elevation lakes & reservoirs in Minnesota by altitude
While lake levels can flucuate frequently based on several circumstances, the altitude/elevation of a lake is based on its normal water level, measured by the lake’s surface distance above sea level. For a reservoir, this water level is also known as “full pond” or “full pool”.Low lake levels can occur due to deliberate seasonal draw downs for irrigation or impending snow melt, reduced water inflows, drought and evaporation, residential or commercial water demands, and hydropower generation. Some lakes’ minimum and maximum elevations are virtually the same. Lakes that generate hydropower may vary by several feet – according to power demand. Lakes whose primary purpose is to prevent flooding can seasonally vary by 100 feet or more. When some lakes reach their minimum elevation, their boat ramps may not be long enough to permit boat access – and boats docked on shallow parts of the lake may end up on dry ground. In those cases, kayakers and shore-based anglers may be among the few happy recreational users of the lake.
A lake’s highest water level, measured by the lake’s surface distance above sea level, that can occur during flooding. A lake’s highest possible maximum elevation is usually the top of the lake’s dam or spillway. At lakes that include residential development, government regulations usually forbid the construction of homes below a lake’s maximum elevation.
You can find many of the world’s highest-elevated lakes on LakeLubbers. Lakes with the lowest elevations (known by LakeLubbers) are shown on the final page of that list. Note: For some lakes, "Altitude/Elevation" data is unknown, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 116 articles we have published for Minnesota lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US Midwest Region > Minnesota > Compared by highest altitude/elevation in feet. This list does not represent all lakes in Minnesota, only the 116 Minnesota lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name | Elevation in feet | Lake description |
---|---|---|
North Long Lake, MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,204 ft | Also known as Brainerd Lakes Covering almost 6,000 acres, North Long Lake is one of the largest and most popular of the Brainerd Lakes. North Long Lake is located in the Central R … |
Cedar Lake MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,202 ft | Visitors never tire of exploring Cedar Lake, Minnesota with its many twists, turns, bays, and coves. Cedar Lake is a spring- and small stream-fed lake … |
Norway Lake, MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,199 ft | Norway Lake is nestled in Kandiyohi County on the southern border of Minnesota’s Central tourism region. It is part of the Wilmar Lakes Area which inc … |
South Long Lake (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,196 ft | Also known as Upper South Long Lake, Lower South Long Lake, Brainerd Lakes South Long Lake near Brainerd, Minnesota in Crow Wing County offers 2,115 acres of scenic beauty with a shoreline surrounded by rolling hills covered … |
Gull Lake, MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,195 ft | Also known as Brainerd Lakes Gull Lake, located in the Central Region of Minnesota’s “Land of 10,000 Lakes”, boasts 9,418 surface acres and 38 miles of pristine shoreline. The dee … |
Big Birch Lake, MN (Central Minnesota, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,186 ft | Big Birch Lake lies at the heart of Minnesota. With sparkling water spread across Todd and Stearns County lines, Big Birch Lake is at the geographic c … |
Upper Red Lake, MN (Minnesota, Northwest Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,179 ft | Nestled in the Northwest Region of Minnesota, Upper Red Lake has an incredible comeback story and is becoming a popular vacation place for the second … |
Rainy Lake, MN / Canada (Canada, Minnesota, Northeast Minnesota, Ontario, Canada, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,109 ft | Rainy Lake’s sprawling 221,000 acres straddle the border of the United States and Canada. Known as a water sports lover’s paradise, Rainy Lake is loca … |
Lake of the Woods, MN / Canada (Canada, Manitoba, Canada, Minnesota, Northwest Minnesota, Ontario, Canada, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,062 ft | Spanning the border from Minnesota into the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Manitoba, Lake of the Woods is an enormous body of water over 68 miles l … |
Lake Sylvia, MN (Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro Region, MN, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,051 ft | Also known as West Lake Sylvia, East Lake Sylvia, Twin Lake, Greater Lake Sylvia The kayaker slips into the water a paddles slowly out into West Lake Sylvia. It is barely light, and there is no one awake but the fishermen and loons … |
Clearwater Lake MN (Minneapolis-St. Paul Metro Region, MN, Minnesota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
996 ft | Just north of Minnesota’s small city of Annandale is Clearwater Lake, a popular residential lake in an area with abundant bodies of water. Visitors an … |
Lake Traverse, MN/SD (Central Minnesota, Glacial Lakes & Prairies Region, SD, Minnesota, South Dakota, US Midwest Region, USA) |
981 ft | Lake Traverse straddles the border of Minnesota’s Central tourism region and South Dakota’s northeastern Great Lakes and Prairie region. Covering more … |