Boating Lakes in the USA

Lady Bird Lake in Austin, Texas, is a pretty little lake located right in the city of Austin. It is about six miles long, with parks and walking paths at its edges. Only boats powered by electric motors that do not exceed a capacity of five horsepower can operate on Lady Bird Lake. A variety of watercraft rentals are available around Lady Bird Lake. Rowers, kayakers, and paddleboarders will enjoy the waters of Lady Bird Lake on a sunny Austin day, while anglers and fishers will find large and smallmouth bass, pike, and catfish, to name just a few.

Coeur d'Alene in Idaho lies nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains and covers about 30,000 acres of space. The lake was formed by a glacier, and it is a recreational paradise. There are opportunities for hiking, swimming, camping, and golfing near the lake, and fishing enthusiasts can join other hopeful fishermen each morning in the search for chinook and kokanee salmon. Fly fishing is also popular, and those who wade into the shockingly cold alpine waters may find cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. There are also opportunities for dock fishing, as well as fishing from a boat, of course. Several cruise boat tours operate on Lake Coeur D’Alene, and experienced divers can even look for old Ford Model Ts that now reside at the bottom of the lake.

Romantic Lakes

Lake Placid lies amidst the ancient and beautiful Adirondack Mountains, iconified by the tall, dark green pines that line the slopes of the peaks and the clear, reflective mountain lakes that lie at their feet. There are two islands in the middle of Lake Placid , both of which are popular destinations for boaters who fancy a picnic and those looking to spend a night camping. Fish in the lake include trout, pike, smallmouth bass, and perch. Those who don’t own their own boat can rent one on Lake Placid and kayak and canoe rentals are also available. There are also lake cruises offered on Lake Placid, which is a great way to sit back and learn about the area through an informational tour out on the water.

Lake Charles, a brackish lake in Louisiana, is located adjacent to a city of the same name. The city of Lake Charles is home to casinos, golf courses, and over 75 festivals throughout the year. Its lakes, including the titular Lake Charles, are varied, and offer plenty of boating options, from a chartered boat out on the bayou to kayaking and canoeing or a day out on the water with friends, family, and some music and drinks. Some typical fish often found in Lake Charles are hardhead catfish, speckled trout, flounder, and redfish.

Lakes for Families

At 4,028 acres of surface area, Saratoga Lake isn’t even close to being the biggest lake on this list, but it’s still absolutely worth a trip. Located just north of Saratoga Springs, New York, Saratoga Lake is well known for boating and fishing. There is a large sandbar in the middle of the lake, and it’s quite a popular place for people to anchor their boats and go for a swim and there is a floating stage where events and concerts are held. Saratoga is especially beautiful in the fall, when the autumn leaves change color and the world around the lake is resplendent in shades of red, orange, and yellow.

Beaver Lake is a beautiful destination within Arkansas’ Ozark Mountains. The lake was created in the 1960s by the Beaver Dam and serves to prevent floods in the surrounding areas. Beaver Lake itself is surrounded by tall cliffs of limestone and several caves. On the water, there are usually plenty of boaters, fishers, and even scuba divers exploring the natural beauty of the lake. Its waters are crystal clear and used to supply drinking water to five nearby counties, and the lake is home to many species of fish, including trout, bass, catfish, and stripers.

Lakes For Photographers

It’s hard to believe that the tranquil atmosphere of Big Bear Lake is only about 100 miles from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, but there it is, a paradise awaiting anyone who needs to escape the big city. This lake, located in the San Bernardino National Forest, is surrounded by tall mountain peaks and the green canopies of trees, with 22 miles of gorgeous shoreline. Boaters on Big Bear Lake can try their luck at catching rainbow trout, large and smallmouth bass, bluegill, and many more types of fish, or take a dip in the refreshingly cool waters. Big Bear Lake Video

The massive Caddo Lake covers almost 27,000 acres, part of which is in the state of Texas and the other part of which lies in Louisiana. This lake is a lot of fun for boating, as it consists of many interconnected waterways, islands, swampy bayous, and channels. In many parts of the lake, trees grow right out of the water. These features are mostly on the Texas side, which errs on the side of swampy, while the Louisiana portion of Caddo Lake is much more open and easy for boaters. The hot climate in the region means that the weather on Caddo Lake is generally sunny, although it also means that sunscreen and lots of drinking water are an absolute must.

Lakes for Hikers

Crater Lake is the namesake of Crater Lake National Park, a huge and beautiful park that lies at the foot of the Cascade Mountains, about a hundred miles from the Pacific Ocean in southern Oregon. Crater Lake is the deepest freshwater lake in the entire USA, and it’s listed in the top ten deepest freshwater lakes in the world, with depths reaching to almost 1950 feet at its deepest. Visitors to Crater Lake can enjoy some beautiful sights of sweeping mountain vistas from on the water or the shoreline, and plenty of swimming, fishing, hiking, and camping opportunities are to be found within the park.

The surface area of Flathead Lake covers over 122,500 acres, making it one of the largest freshwater lakes in the US outside of the Great Lakes. This glacial lake was formed over 10,000 years ago and has a shoreline of over 160 miles. It is surrounded by gorgeous mountains and there are many great hiking opportunities that provide wonderful views of the lake. On the lake itself, fishing enthusiasts will find 25 unique species of fish, including yellow perch, sculpin, mackinaw, and bull trout. Flathead Lake is also purported to be the home of Flathead Nessie, a mythical lake beast who has been spotted periodically over the past century or so, although no definitive proof of her existence has ever been reported.