It goes without saying that Minnesota lakes are famous. After all, Minnesota is known as the Land of 10,000 Lakes (even if we technically have over 14,000!). It’s our natural wonder claim to fame, one of our state nicknames, and it’s even present on our license plates. There are only four counties in all of Minnesota that don’t have any man made or natural lakes. Each of our lakes in Minnesota offers something special, but today we’d like to focus on quantity rather than quality. If you’ve ever wondered what county has the most lakes, we’ve got the answer for you. Otter Tail County, Minnesota has more lakes than not only any other county in Minnesota, but also any other county in the entire United States!

We know that the far northern portion of Minnesota is typically what is thought of as lake country around here. Surprisingly, Otter Tail County is located in west central Minnesota.
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
The county boasts a whopping 1,048 lakes - more than any other county in the entire United States. It's also approximately 7% of all lakes in Minnesota!
Kyle Matteson/Flickr
Over 244 square miles of Otter Tail County is made up of water. That's 11% of the entire county!
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The largest of the lakes in Otter Tail County shares the county's name. Otter Tail Lake is a walleye fishing destination that's about 21 square miles in area. And it's very deep – 120 feet of depth!
Bloodshedder/Wikimedia Commons
The county has tons of lodges and campgrounds available for visitors. Of course, you can also just enjoy a day of fishing or wildlife spotting.
Lakes in Minnesota
Tattooeddreamer/Wikimedia Commons

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Another great lake in Otter Tail County is Pelican Lake, located about seven miles north of Pelican Rapids. It's certainly not the most popular Minnesota lake, but the sunsets here are extraordinary!
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As you can imagine, boats are a common sight in Otter Tail County, no matter what size lake you're visiting.
Kyle Matteson/Flickr
Whether you're cruising on a speedboat or taking it slow in a pontoon, it's easy to find your perfect lake sanctuary. After all, Otter Tail County has over 1,000 choices!
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Those who suffer seasickness may have more fun swinging their feet off of a dock or shoreline. Is anything better than watching a summer sunset with your ankles submerged in cool water?
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No matter which lake you choose in Otter Tail County, you can rest assured that there's no other one like it. After all, every Minnesota lake is 1 in 10,000!
Justin Bartmann/Flickr

And it's not just the lakes in Otter Tail County that make it worthy of a visit:

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

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Nature In Minnesota

Lisa Sammons | August 10, 2022

What are some of the best Minnesota lakes?

Obviously, we're well known for our lakes, and actually have well over 10,000 of them! We have quite a few really deep lakes in Minnesota, some are naturally deep and others boast their incredible depth thanks to pit mining. Of course, with the Great Lakes right beside us there's no shortage of wonderful spots to relax by the shore or on a boat. Lake Superior is one of our favorites, and it's also incredibly deep: up to 1333 feet in some areas!

What are the best waterfalls in Minnesota?

There are plenty of hikes with waterfalls in Minnesota. The mighty Minnehaha Falls is one of our favorite easy-access falls, though. You can practically drive right up to them! There is a hike that leads to the base of the falls if you're looking for something to get your blood pumping a little.

What are some of the top natural wonders in Minnesota?

Forget the seven wonders of the world, how about the 10 wonders of Minnesota? The Niagara Cave is one of our favorites. It's one of the deepest caves in the entire Midwest and is quite stunning to see in person.

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Otter Tail County, MN, USA