8 best US lakes you’ve probably never heard of

As summertime in the US takes a turn into its hottest months, we’re all hunting for the fantastic locations to amazing off. 

Luckily, the nation is speckled with lakes of all forms: natural, manmade, alpine, saltwater and a lot more.

While big-name lakes get all the glory (searching at you, Lake Tahoe and the Excellent Lakes), there are a great deal of spots to bounce in and neat off farther from the crowds. Test out these stunning under-the-radar lakes that are ideal for an aquatic getaway.

Boats on the shore at sunset at Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire
The quiet shores of Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire © Thomas H. Mitchell / Getty Pictures

Lake Sunapee, New Hampshire

Lake Sunapee is a tranquil glacial lake in southwestern New Hampshire located inside of Mount Sunapee State Park. Readers will locate an expansive seashore for swimming, a boat launch and mountaineering opportunities in just the park space. Exterior of the summertime year, the lake is especially enchanting throughout drop, when it is ringed in a variety of tones of yellow, crimson and orange.

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Gazebo and forest on the shore of Lake Lure, North Carolina
Lake Lure is found in the mountains of western North Carolina © vixterd / Getty Images

Lake Entice, North Carolina

Lake Entice runs alongside the ground of Hickory Nut Gorge in the mountains of western North Carolina, and its shores could possibly look familiar: Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Gray filmed scenes listed here for the basic movie Filthy Dancing. Site visitors can rest on the lake’s beach locations or acquire to the hills to investigate the surrounding mountains. Really do not skip Chimney Rock, which delivers panoramic views of the gorge and the lake.

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Chairs in the water at Lake Ouachita, Arkansas
Lake Ouachita is reported to have some of the clearest water in Arkansas © Wesley Hitt / Getty Pictures

Lake Ouachita, Arkansas

Lake Ouachita sits in the hills of the Ozarks, and it has a distinctive critter swimming beneath its surface area: freshwater jellyfish. These harmless invertebrates are really rare globally, but they thrive in the lake’s clear waters, typically regarded as the clearest in the state. The lake also harbors 200 uninhabited islands, so grab a kayak and choose your choose.

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Lassen volcano across Lake Almanor in California
Volcanic Mount Lassen overlooks Lake Almanor in California © Amit Basu Images / Getty Illustrations or photos

Lake Almanor, California 

The Northern Sierras are an out of doors wonderland, and although most tourists pay a visit to for the mountains, the assortment also harbors great swimming spots with wonderful backdrops. Lake Almanor is no exception. This artifical lake sits in the Plumas Countrywide Forest, adjacent to Lassen Volcanic National Park, and lake-goers will be handled to fantastic sights of the namesake volcano. Camp amongst the Ponderosa pines to get the complete expertise.

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Meadow in front of the blue waters of Bear Lake, Utah
Bear Lake is recognized as the “Caribbean of the Rockies” © Ron Reiring / Getty Illustrations or photos

Bear Lake, Utah

When individuals imagine of lakes in Utah, their minds routinely gravitate to the famed Good Salt Lake or scenic Lake Powell, but they’d be remiss to exclude this crystalline body of water straddling the Idaho–Utah border. Bear Lake is generally referred to as the “Caribbean of the Rockies,” owing its vibrant blue hue to suspended limestone in the drinking water.

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Lakeshore of Blue Mesa Reservoir in Colorado
The serene waters of Blue Mesa Reservoir in southwestern Colorado © Bernadette Heath / Shutterstock

Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado

The Gunnison River carves its way through the hills of southwestern Colorado, defining the landscape alongside the way. A take a look at to Black Canyon of the Gunnison Countrywide Park yields magnificent sights of the namesake gorge, and an hour down the street lies Blue Mesa Reservoir, a picturesque human body of h2o with golden hills and rocky outcroppings serving as a backdrop. Strike the lake to fish, kayak, windsurf and much more.

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Cave Run Lake in the Daniel Boone National Forest, Kentucky
The summer sunset at Cave Run Lake in the Daniel Boone Nationwide Forest © ScottymanPhoto / Shutterstock

Cave Run Lake, Kentucky

An hour and a 50 % east of Lexington lies Cave Operate Lake, an oasis nestled amid the trees of Daniel Boone Countrywide Forest. The blue-toned water invitations everybody from anglers to boaters to swimmers to get pleasure from an escape from the warmth, and its shores element perfectly-groomed beach locations and activity regions for people. People seeking for terrestrial pursuits will be delighted by the trails that ring the lake. 

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Mooselookmeguntic Lake
Maine’s Mooselookmeguntic Lake is a stunner © haveseen / Shutterstock

Mooselookmeguntic Lake, Maine

Mooselookmeguntic Lake is element of the Rangeley Lakes area in Maine, and it can be recognized as a fishing hotspot. The swooping loops of the lake are notably lovely from the Top of the Land lookout point, and website visitors looking for a quiet respite from each day existence will be rewarded with all the tranquil out of doors time they can take care of. There are also beach locations for swimming, but heads up, the h2o is chilly!

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