Largest lakes & reservoirs in Illinois by shoreline length
The length of the exterior shoreline around a lake is measured at the lake’s normal elevation. The shoreline length can be considerably shorter or longer when lake water levels are lower or higher than normal. A lake with many coves has a much longer shoreline than a lake of similar surface area that is nearly circular in shape.When known, the shoreline miles that we report in our statistics include only the lake’s exterior shoreline, and exclude the shorelines of islands located within a lake’s boundaries. In lakes with many islands, those islands’ combined shorelines may exceed a lake’s exterior shoreline.
You can find many of the world’s longest-shoreline lakes on LakeLubbers. Note: For some lakes, "Longest Shorelines" data is unknown or does not apply, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 64 articles we have published for Illinois lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US Midwest Region > Illinois > Compared by longest shoreline length in miles. This list does not represent all lakes in Illinois, only the 64 Illinois lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name | Shoreline length in miles | Lake description |
---|---|---|
Fyre Lake, IL (Illinois, US Midwest Region, USA, Western Illinois) |
4 mi | A musical artist may have made Fire Lake famous, but he didn’t know about Fyre Lake! Located in the Western Region of Illinois a few miles south of th … |
Heritage Lake, IL (Illinois, US Midwest Region, USA, Western Illinois) |
4 mi | Also known as Maraldo Lake Originally named Maraldo Lake, Heritage Lake is a private 85-acre, man-made lake located just east of the town of Mackinaw on the border of Illinois’ … |
Deep Lake IL (Chicagoland Region, IL, Illinois, US Midwest Region, USA) |
3 mi | Even in a county with hundreds of lakes, Deep Lake stands out. Located in Lake County, in the Chicagoland Region of Illinois, private Deep Lake is not … |
Dunns Lake, IL (Chicagoland Region, IL, Illinois, US Midwest Region, USA) |
3 mi | Also known as Fox Chain O'Lakes If a vacation on the Fox River Chain of Lakes appeals to you, Dunns Lake in the Chicagoland Region is just the ticket. This small lake, reached via a … |
Lake Zurich, IL (Chicagoland Region, IL, Illinois, US Midwest Region, USA) |
3 mi | Also known as Cedar Lake Lake Zurich is a charming private lake conveniently located 35 miles northwest of Chicago, Illinois and approximately 50 miles south of Milwaukee, Wis … |
Antioch Lake, IL (Chicagoland Region, IL, Illinois, US Midwest Region, USA) |
3 mi | Also known as Lake Antioch Antioch Lake is a privately owned lake offering lakeside luxury within commuting distance of Chicago or Milwaukee. Located in Antioch Township in far … |
Gages Lake, IL (Chicagoland Region, IL, Illinois, US Midwest Region, USA) |
3 mi | Gages Lake, in the Chicagoland Region of Illinois, is the perfect example of why those “in the know” love Lake County. USNews recently listed the Gage … |
Highland Lake, IL (Chicagoland Region, IL, Illinois, US Midwest Region, USA) |
2 mi | If you’ve ever dreamed of leaving the city on Friday night and quickly arriving at a lakefront piece of heaven, then Highland Lake is just the place f … |
Bluff Lake, IL (Chicagoland Region, IL, Illinois, US Midwest Region, USA) |
2 mi | Also known as Fox Chain O'Lakes Bluff Lake is a part of the Fox Chain O’Lakes in northeastern Illinois’ Chicagoland tourism region, just 40 miles northwest of Chicago. This chain of … |
Griswold Lake, IL (Chicagoland Region, IL, Illinois, US Midwest Region, USA) |
2 mi | Also known as Griswald Lake, Fox Chain O'Lakes Griswold Lake is located in the Chicagoland Region of Illinois near Holiday Hills. The northern shore of Griswold Lake was first developed in the 1930 … |
Crystal Lake IL (Chicagoland Region, IL, Illinois, US Midwest Region, USA) |
2 mi | Crystal Lake, in the Chicagoland Region of Illinois, is a water playground surrounded by a decidedly urban landscape. Located in the Chicago Northwest … |
Third Lake and Druce Lake, IL (Chicagoland Region, IL, Illinois, US Midwest Region, USA) |
2 mi | Also known as Chittenden Lake and Second Lake The Village of Third Lake, located north of Chicago, is one of those secret locations that blends life in the big city with outdoor amenities. Small D … |