Discover the Largest Lake in Each of the 50 States

This article explores the largest lake in each of the 50 states by surface area. Before we get started, here are a few notes about this list. First, this is a list of the largest lakes located entirely in a single state, but most of the largest lakes in the United States overall touch multiple states. For example, the Great Lakes touch multiple U.S. states and the Canadian province of Ontario. If the largest lake located entirely inside a state is not the largest lake touching that state, that state’s entry will also name the larger lake. Second, 62% of the lakes on this list are man-made reservoirs, and 18% are dammed natural lakes. Only 10% of the lakes on this list are natural freshwater lakes that have not been dammed. Finally, the list is in alphabetical order by state name. Let’s dive into the largest lakes in each state!

1. Alabama: Lake Guntersville

Lake Guntersville is a man-made reservoir on the Tennessee River.

2. Alaska: Iliamna Lake

Iliamna Lake is a natural freshwater lake on the Alaska Peninsula. It is the seventh-largest lake in the United States by surface area and the largest lake contained in a single U.S. state.

3. Arizona: Theodore Roosevelt Lake

Theodore Roosevelt Lake is a man-made reservoir on the Salt River.

4. Arkansas: Lake Ouachita

Lake Ouachita is a man-made reservoir on the Ouachita River. Arkansas also touches Bull Shoals Lake and Table Rock Lake.

5. California: Salton Sea

The Salton Sea is a man-made saline lake in Southern California.

6. Colorado: John Martin Reservoir

John Martin Reservoir is a man-made reservoir on the Arkansas River.

7. Connecticut: Candlewood Lake

Candlewood Lake is a man-made reservoir on the Housatonic River.

8. Delaware: Lums Pond

Lums Pond is a man-made reservoir on the Delaware River.

9. Florida: Lake Okeechobee

Lake Okeechobee is a natural freshwater lake in southern Florida. It is the tenth-largest lake in the United States.

10. Georgia: Lake Lanier

Lake Lanier is a man-made reservoir on the Chattahoochee River. Georgia also touches Lake Strom Thurmond, Lake Hartwell, and the Walter F. George Lake.

11. Hawaii: Waita Reservoir

Waita Reservoir is a man-made reservoir on the island of Kauai.

12. Idaho: Lake Pend Oreille

Lake Pend Oreille is a natural, but dammed, freshwater lake in northern Idaho.

13. Illinois: Lake Carlyle

Lake Carlyle is a man-made reservoir on the Kaskaskia River. Illinois also touches Lake Michigan, the third-largest lake in the United States.

14. Indiana: Lake Monroe

Lake Monroe is a man-made reservoir on Salt Creek. Indiana also touches Lake Michigan.

15. Iowa: Lake Red Rock

Red Rock Lake is a man-made reservoir on the Des Moines River.

16. Kansas: Milford Lake

Milford Lake is a man-made reservoir on the Republican River.

17. Kentucky: Lake Cumberland

Lake Cumberland is a man-made reservoir on the Cumberland River. Kentucky also touches Kentucky Lake, the 25th-largest lake in the United States.

18. Louisiana: Lake Pontchartrain

Lake Pontchartrain is a natural saline estuary in southeastern Louisiana. It is the 11th-largest lake in the United States by surface area.

19. Maine: Moosehead Lake

Moosehead Lake is a natural, but dammed, freshwater lake.

20. Maryland: Deep Creek Lake

Deep Creek Lake is a man-made reservoir on Deep Creek.

21. Massachusetts: Quabbin Reservoir

Quabbin Reservoir is a man-made reservoir on the Swift River.

22. Michigan: Houghton Lake

Houghton Lake is a natural freshwater lake. Michigan also touches Lake Superior, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan, and Lake Erie. Lake Superior is the world’s largest lake by surface area.

23. Minnesota: Red Lake

Red Lake is a natural freshwater lake. Minnesota also touches Lake Superior and Lake of the Woods, the first- and sixth-largest lakes in the United States by area.

24. Mississippi: Grenada Lake

Grenada Lake is a man-made reservoir on the Yalobusha River. Mississippi also touches Pickwick Lake.

25. Missouri: Truman Reservoir

Truman Reservoir is a man-made reservoir on the Osage River.

26. Montana: Fort Peck Lake

Fort Peck River is a man-made reservoir on the Missouri River.

27. Nebraska: Lake McConaughy

Lake McConaughy is a man-made reservoir on the North Platte River.

28. Nevada: Pyramid Lake

Pyramid Lake is a natural salt lake. Nevada also touches Lake Mead and Lake Tahoe.

29. New Hampshire: Lake Winnipesaukee

Lake Winnipesaukee is a natural, but dammed, freshwater lake.

30. New Jersey: Lake Hopatcong

Lake Hopatcong is a natural, but dammed, freshwater lake.

31. New Mexico: Elephant Butte Lake

Elephant Butte Lake is a man-made reservoir on the Rio Grande.

32. New York: Oneida Lake

Oneida Lake is a natural, but dammed, freshwater lake. New York also touches Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, the fourth- and fifth-largest lakes in the United States. Additionally, the state touches Lake Champlain and Lake St. Francis.

33. North Carolina: Lake Mattamuskeet

Lake Mattamuskeet is a natural freshwater lake. North Carolina also touches Kerr Lake.

34. North Dakota: Lake Sakakawea

Lake Sakakawea is a man-made reservoir on the Missouri River. North Dakota also touches Lake Oahe.

35. Ohio: Grand Lake St. Marys

Grand Lake St. Marys is a man-made reservoir. Ohio also touches Lake Erie.

36. Oklahoma: Eufaula Lake

Eufala Lake is a man-made reservoir on the Canadian River.

37. Oregon: Klamath Lake

Klamath Lake is a natural, but dammed, freshwater lake.

38. Pennsylvania: Raystown Lake

Raystown Lake is a man-made reservoir on the Juniata River.

39. Rhode Island: Ninigret Pond

Ninigret Pond is a natural saltwater lagoon.

40. South Carolina: Lake Marion

Lake Marion is a man-made reservoir on the Santee River.

41. South Dakota: Lake Francis Case

Lake Francis Case is a man-made reservoir on the Missouri River. South Dakota also touches Lake Oahe.

42. Tennessee: Watts Bar Lake

Watts Bar Lake is a man-made reservoir on the Tennessee River. Tennessee also touches Kentucky Lake, Lake Barkley, and Pickwick Lake.

43. Texas: Sam Rayburn Reservoir

Sam Rayburn Reservoir is a man-made reservoir on the Angelina River. Texas also touches the Toledo Bend Reservoir.

44. Utah: Great Salt Lake

The Great Salt Lake is a natural saltwater lake.

45. Vermont: Lake Bomoseen

Lake Bomoseen is a natural, but dammed, freshwater lake. Vermont also touches Lake Champlain.

46. Virginia: Smith Mountain Lake

Smith Mountain Lake is a man-made reservoir on the Roanoke River. Virginia also touches Kerr Lake.

47. Washington: Lake Roosevelt

Lake Roosevelt is a man-made reservoir on the Columbia River.

48. West Virginia: Summersville Lake

Summersville Lake is a man-made reservoir on the Gauley River.

49. Wisconsin: Lake Winnebago

Lake WInnebago is a natural, but dammed, freshwater lake. Wisconsin also touches Lake Superior and Lake Michigan.

50. Wyoming: Yellowstone Lake

Yellowstone Lake is a natural freshwater lake.

Summary Table of the Largest Lake in Each of the 50 States

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