menu search

Posted in Minnesota Nature November 11, 2016 by Betsy Rathburn

The Minnesota County That Has More Lakes Than Any County In America

We all know that Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 Lakes. It’s our natural wonder claim to fame, one of our state nicknames, and is even on our license plate. There are only four counties in the entire state that don’t have any manmade lakes. Each offers something special, but today we are going to focus on their polar opposite. Minnesota’s Otter Tail County has more lakes than not only any other county in Minnesota, but also any other county in the entire United States.

Despite far northern Minnesota being thought of as Lake Country, Otter Tail County is located in west central Minnesota.

The county boasts a whopping 1,048 lakes - more than any other county in the entire United States.

Over 244 square miles of Otter Tail County is water. That’s 11% of the entire area.

The largest of those is Otter Tail Lake, a 21-mile walleye fishing destination.

Visitors can stay in one of many lodges, camp, or just enjoy a day of fishing - and wildlife spotting.

Pelican Lake is another great Otter Tail County destination. It's not the most popular lake in the state, but sunsets here are as good as anywhere.

Boats are a common sight in Otter Tail County, from the largest lake to the very smallest.

Whether cruising in a speedboat or taking it slow on a pontoon, it's easy to find your perfect lake sanctuary with over 1,000 choices.

You may have even more swinging your feet off a dock. There's nothing like watching a summer sunset with your ankles submerged in cool water.

No matter which lake you choose, you can rest assured there's no other one like it. Every Minnesota lake is 1 in 10,000!

If you’re looking for more amazing lakes, check out this list of Minnesota’s deepest lakes. What’s your favorite Minnesota lake?

Betsy is a Minneapolis-based writer who's lived in Minnesota for 20 years. If you know of any amazing Minnesota restaurants, nature areas, or other attractions, feel free to let her know about them at brathburn@onlyinyourstate.com or on Twitter @betsyrathburn.