Lake Martin, in Tallapoosa County, looks equally lovely viewed up close or from a distance, as this photo taken from Smith Mountain illustrates. The sapphire-hued reservoir glistens and shimmers over 44,000 acres and its craggy shoreline is edged by thickly wooded trails, coves and parks, with lots of benches and picnic spots for fully appreciating its beauty. The water is dotted with islets, too, which kayakers can view up close.
Alaska makes even Minnesota – dubbed the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” – look a little dried-up, boasting a staggering three million lakes. Some are seasonal, fed by snowmelt and glaciers, while Lake Clark – part of Lake Clark National Preserve – is a year-round wonder. Its skinny, turquoise body stretches to around 50 miles (80km) in length and is fed by waterfalls, rivers, streams and glaciers. Visitors can usually explore by power boat or kayak, scouring the area for wildlife from brown bears to bald eagles.
The portion of Lake Havasu that flows through the city of the same name is the best-known, popular as a spring destination thanks to its sandy beaches, renowned restaurants and lively bars. It also has mountain views, serene parks and patches of woodland, though perhaps its most fascinating feature is the original London Bridge. The 19th-century structure was relocated, brick by brick, from England’s capital in the 1960s after being purchased by an American tycoon.
Curving for 20 miles (32km), Lake Chicot is the largest natural lake in Arkansas. It’s also the USA’s biggest oxbow lake, where a horseshoe bend in a river becomes cut off from the main flow. It formed more than 300 years ago, as an offshoot of the Mississippi River, and it’s particularly pretty in the first rays of sunlight, when its water and shoreline of cypress trees and jetties are bathed in a buttery glow.
The saline waters of Mono Lake, an inland sea near Yosemite National Park, first filled the 70 square miles (181sq km) more than 760,000 years ago. Yet its most striking features remained submerged until the 1980s. The spindly limestone tufa towers (pictured) were exposed by dipping water levels, adding to the lake’s ethereal beauty. It’s equally gorgeous at sunrise and sunset, while hiking trails around its edges and through the Sierra Nevada mountains allow plenty of opportunities for people to admire it from all angles.
The clear, shimmering, turquoise and spearmint water of Hanging Lake could hardly be more inviting but swimming is prohibited. Which is why this small lake in Glenwood Canyon is so pristine. Hanging Lake is so-named due to the way it appears to “hang” from a cliff, adding extra drama to its already considerable beauty. People can view it from a raised wooden walkway, interspersed by signs explaining its history, geology and wildlife, while a 9.5-mile (15km) hiking trail links it to the town of Glenwood Springs.
Covering more than 650 acres and edging into several towns in Litchfield County in the west of the state, Lake Waramaug curves in a squiggly S-shape around forested slopes, grassy waterfront parks and sandy beaches. The latter are a particular draw for holidaymakers in summer when people swim and paddle in the clear, clean water. It’s also a popular place for fishing, boating and kayaking, with campsites at Lake Waramaug State Park. There’s even a winery, Hopkins Vineyard, overlooking the lake’s northern shore.
Delaware is better known for its oceanfront and the state actually has no natural lakes. But it does have some man-made beauties, such as the small but striking Silver Lake. Close to the Atlantic Coast town of Rehoboth Beach, the air around the 40-acre lake still has a salty ocean tang that mingles with the trees and shrubs of its surrounding parkland. Silver Lake is a designated waterfowl preserve, too, with ducks, geese and herons often spotted from the shore.
Winter Park, just outside Orlando, is a world away from Florida’s famous theme parks. Behind its broad, tree-lined avenues and posh boutiques hides a chain of sapphire lakes linked by oak-shaded canals and with some of the area’s most exclusive homes on their shores. They’re all lovely, though Lake Maitland takes the edge thanks to the glorious Kraft Azalea Garden, a lakefront public garden with paths winding under cypress trees and, from January to March, past bold azalea blooms.
More commonly known simply as Lake Lanier, this huge reservoir was created by the US Army Corps of Engineers in the 1950s and is Georgia’s largest. Around an hour’s drive from Atlanta, its 690 miles (1,110km) of shoreline cram in opportunities for fun. There are fishing jetties, campsites, cabins, marinas, beaches and even a water park. Its striking sapphire waters, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains and dotted with verdant islets, are also wonderful for kayaking and boating.
This lake, a centrepiece of the paradisiacal Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden, has no official name. Perhaps it doesn’t really matter – it’s just gorgeous, and an unusual find given the Aloha State is far better known for beaches, rainforest, waterfalls and pretty much anything else but lakes. The mirrored surface of the water reflects its surroundings, which – from the velvety mountains to the grassy banks and clumps of forest – are painted in all shades of green.
Redfish Lake got its name from the huge quantities of sockeye salmon that used to arrive in its waters after a 900-mile (1,448km) migration from the Pacific Ocean. The number has dropped significantly but the lake’s loveliness hasn’t faded. With a surface that sometimes appears sapphire and other times silver, it provides a magnificent mirror for the Sawtooth Mountains that form its backdrop. People can usually rent boats, pontoons and paddle boards from the marina, though there’s also the option to just relax on one of its sandy beaches.
Lake Michigan is the third largest of the Great Lakes and touches the shorelines of Michigan and Wisconsin. But it’s arguably at its most beautiful when combined with the striking architecture of Chicago, which sprawls out from its southwestern shore. Beaches and promenades skim the water’s edge, backed by skyscrapers and gazing out to a body of water so vast it feels more like being at the coast. Sightseeing boats and dining cruises regularly depart from Navy Pier, offering passengers the chance to see the city from a different perspective.
It might not be as famed for its lakes as, say, Minnesota, but Indiana has some gorgeous bodies of water, including part of Lake Michigan. Brookville Lake, near the town of the same name in Franklin County, is something of a whispered secret. Built as a reservoir, the quiet, pretty lake is now part of a state park and is surrounded by acres of thick forest. Hiking trails, beaches, boat launches and fishing make it a popular summer spot.
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The largest of the Iowa Great Lakes and the state’s biggest natural body of water, Big Spirit Lake was apparently named for an evil spirit that inhabited its waters. There’s certainly nothing malignant about its appearance. Just sloshing over the border with Minnesota and linking up with smaller lakes in the chain – West and East Lake Okoboji, Lake Minnewashta, and Upper and Lower Gar Lakes – its sparklingly lovely water is surrounded by beaches, parks and resorts.
Kansas has more than 120,000 lakes, reservoirs and ponds, some of them created to provide fishing opportunities during the Great Depression in the 1930s. Clinton Lake, a reservoir close to university town Lawrence, stands out for its serene beauty. The pea-green water has more than 50 miles (80km) of hiking, biking and horseback-riding trails weaving close to its shores, which are also surrounded by forests, parks, picnic areas, a golf course and even a model airplane airport.
This enormous reservoir, next to Daniel Boone National Forest, sprawls across the south of Kentucky and is considered one of the state’s most beautiful attractions. Its craggy, 1,200-mile (1,931km) shoreline means there are seemingly endless coves, beaches and inlets to explore, making it perfect for kayaking and paddle-boarding, while people can also rent pontoons and fishing boats. It’s also famous for bigger vessels, claiming to have the largest fleet of rental houseboats in the country.
This swampy lake straddles the border between Louisiana and Texas, and it’s pure Southern charm. Cypress trees rise out of the bayou, their branches draped elegantly with fluffy strands of Spanish moss, while herons, turtles and occasionally alligators can often be spotted around the shoreline. It’s also, some believe, prime Bigfoot territory. Aside from Sasquatch spotting, people come here to fish, paddle around the maze of waterways or just rent one of the park’s cabins.
It may not be easy to pronounce but Mooselookmeguntic Lake, near the cute town of Rangeley, is definitely easy on the eye. It’s part of the Rangeley Lakes region in Franklin County, northwest Maine, an area known for trout and salmon fishing. Circled by a scenic byway and with sapphire water backed by mountain views, this lake is simply stunning to look at, too.
Another state with no natural lakes, Maryland has carved out its own beautiful bodies of water. Or, at least, created them by damming. The largest is Deep Creek Lake, in Garrett County, and its location alone makes it a stand-out in the looks department. It’s surrounded by mountains and has a shoreline thick with trees, which burst into flaming fall colours each autumn. Formed as a reservoir in 1923, it’s now the heart of a state park with B&Bs, lakeside cottages and opportunities to take a boat out onto the water.
The state is dotted with freshwater and spring-fed swimming ponds but has some lovely lakes, too. Windsor Lake is a pristine example. It’s an incredible spot for leaf-peepers, with the trees around its shores bursting with shades of burnt orange, red and ochre in autumn, yet it’s lovely all year round. Its clear water makes it a gorgeous kayaking and canoeing location, while a beach, picnic areas and free summer concerts draw people to its edges.
The biggest of the Great Lakes chain – and the world’s largest freshwater lake by surface area – covers a vast 31,700 square miles (82,103sq km). Shipwrecks lurk beneath its shimmering sapphire surface, which is scattered with around 450 islands like emeralds. Some of those islands, including those in the archipelago of Isle Royale National Park, even have their own lakes. There are often snorkelling and scuba diving excursions delving beneath its surface, though enjoying the scenery from the many beaches and caves around the shoreline is always a good option.
The so-called “Land of 10,000 Lakes” actually has 11,842 of them, including the hundreds of interlinked bodies of water that make up Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. All are beautiful, though Lake Vermilion stands out for its vastness, with 290 miles (467km) of shoreline and 365 pine-topped islands scattered across the water. It’s also the place to see some truly spectacular sunsets. The name Vermilion is translated from the Ojibwe word “Onamuni”, which means “Lake of the Sunset Glow” – and this photo shows why.
Proving that man-made lakes can be marvellous – and practical can be pretty – Barnett Reservoir is a real beauty. Close to the city of Jackson, the 33,000-acre lake was completed in 1965 in the Pearl River and is the state’s main source of drinking water. Yet it’s also an outdoor playground and important habitat for resident and migrating waterfowl, bald eagles and herons. Its western shore is part of the Natchez Trace Parkway, a historic forest trail that cuts through several states.
The sky seems to catch on fire as dawn breaks over this freshwater reservoir, the location for some of the state’s most spectacular, blazingly beautiful sunrises. Longview Lake, just outside Kansas City, is streaked with shades from cherry to scarlet, contrasting beautifully with the water’s silvery surface. It’s less dramatic in daylight but still lovely, with waterside meadows, forests, nature trails and beaches strewn with driftwood.
Montana has more than 3,000 lakes and reservoirs across the state and we reckon Avalanche Lake might just be the prettiest of the lot. The glacier-fed water itself is so crystalline, it seems like every pebble, branch and grain of sand is visible beneath the surface. Its water is a little too chilly to swim in but beaches and forested areas around the shoreline make it a lovely location for picnicking or just lounging. And, of course, having the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop ups the attractiveness, too.
The state’s largest lake, named after a former mayor, this is actually a reservoir formed on the North Platte River on the edge of the Nebraska Sandhills. The surrounding hills and grasslands create a bucolic scene, while pale sandy beaches lacing the shoreline add further beauty. There’s plenty to draw people onto – and into – the water, too, from waterskiing and windsurfing to scuba diving.
Another behemoth, Lake Tahoe is North America’s biggest lake – so large it straddles two states (Nevada and California) and laps the edges of numerous cities, resorts and parks. The Nevada side has casinos, of course, but also a lake shoreline that’s laced with swimming beaches, thick forest and rocky outcrops, all backed by mountains. Zephyr Cove Park and Cave Rock are favourite picnicking and sunbathing spots in summer.
In the foothills of the White Mountains in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, Winnipesaukee is the largest and loveliest of the state’s lakes. Covering 71 square miles (186sq km), it’s ringed by cute villages and towns including what claims to be the oldest summer resort in the US, Wolfeboro. With wooden jetties and beaches – including the sandy stretches at Ellacoya State Park, pictured – lapped by clear, cool water, it’s certainly a dreamy vacation spot.
New Jersey’s coastline grabs a lot of attention but its lake beaches offer a more tranquil, nature-surrounded alternative. Lake Hopatcong, situated in the northern mountains, is the state’s largest freshwater lake and perhaps the most popular, thanks to its combination of glorious views and facilities for boating, sailing and fishing. Its beaches are popular with sunbathers and swimmers in summer while, in winter, people come to try ice fishing and skating.
New Mexico’s selection of gorgeous lakes challenges the assumption that the state is all desert and adobe structures. There are fishing lakes, swimming beaches, scuba diving sites and birdwatching havens. Lea Lake, in Bottomless Lakes State Park near Roswell, is a real beauty. Its turquoise hue is due to aquatic plants and there are quartz crystals buried in its gypsum soils. Swimming is allowed but, as the water is deep and chilly, that’s an activity best reserved for summer.
Lake George has been nicknamed the “Queen of American Lakes”, while the country’s third president Thomas Jefferson once described it as “the most beautiful water I ever saw”. And, somehow, it lives up to such high praise. A magnet for city-dwellers seeking an escape from summer heat, highlights include Million Dollar Beach, a creamy curl of sand by the lakeshore. It’s part of the Adirondacks, a land of snow-fed lakes and rivers, mountain peaks and wildflower-scattered meadows.
Some lakes really do have it all, and Lake Lure – home to an idyllic town of the same name – is one of those. Its shoreline is a lacy delight of beaches and coves, leading to forests and hidden waterfalls – all backed by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains and with views of Chimney Rock. The manmade lake, close to Asheville, is particularly lovely in autumn, when the trees around the shore and surrounding slopes dress up in rich jewel colours.
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One of the country’s largest man-made reservoirs, Lake Sakakawea resembles a dramatic coastline in some parts. At 180 miles (290km) long and 14 miles (23km) wide, it can also feel as vast as an ocean. Several state parks, campsites and a wildlife sanctuary can be found on its shores, while beaches, designated swimming areas, boat ramps and surfing areas make it a hugely popular summer vacation spot.
One of North America’s five Great Lakes, Lake Erie blesses four states plus Ontario in Canada with its beauty, though Ohio’s portion is arguably the prettiest as well as the most fun. Several cities and communities enjoy some of its shoreline, including the Victorian town of Lake Erie on South Bass Island, and it draws people like ducks to water in summer when its beaches and coves are especially appealing. Among the many highlights are Cedar Point Amusement Park, opened in 1870, and the red-capped Marblehead Lighthouse (pictured).
Broken Bow Lake, a reservoir on Mountain Fork River, has 180 miles (290km) of shoreline and pretty much every inch of it is clad in thick forest and surrounded by mountains. Its western side is famed for the most magnificent sunrises, which turn the skies a buttery, honey hue and bathe the lake’s surface in a golden glow. The water is also beautifully clear, thanks to the filtering effect of the rocks that cover the lakebed.
Crater Lake is America’s deepest lake, plunging to a staggering 1,943 feet (592m). It’s also among the most beautiful attractions in the country, thanks in part to its incredible navy hue, which makes it look like a giant pot of ink. The caldera lake, formed around 7,700 years ago in a collapsed volcano and fed by rain and snowmelt, is as quirky as it is beautiful. Curious details include Wizard Island – named for its resemblance to a wizard’s hat – and a bobbing hemlock-tree trunk known as the “Old Man of the Lake”.
Locust Lake, the highlight of the state park of the same name, is especially eye-catching in the early morning light. Its position on the slopes of Locust Mountain means it enjoys incredible sunrises that infuse the sky and the water below with joyously juicy shades of orange, tangerine and ruby-red grapefruit. The surrounding forests, silhouetted by the blazing sun, add extra drama to the scene.
Rhode Island has several lakes and so-called ponds – the terms have historically been interchangeable here – that offer a wonderfully refreshing alternative to the ocean beaches in the warmer months. They’re also lovely when surrounded by trees in jewelled autumn colours, as this photo of Tarbox Pond, in West Greenwich, shows. The small reservoir is surrounded by white pines and, though close to the town, feels wonderfully serene. Visitors can launch small boats and kayaks from the sandy beach.
This reservoir was created in 1973 and is fed by cool, clear water flowing from Appalachian mountain rivers, which is why its surface looks so pristine. Its shores are largely undeveloped, with tucked-away coves, rocky outcrops and swimming spots by waterfalls, which is all part of its charm. Hiking trails via Devils Fork State Park lead to the lakeshore, where people often launch canoes or kayaks to paddle in the gin-clear waters, surrounded by steep, slate-coloured gorges and mountain views.
Custer State Park packs in five lakes and they’re all beautiful, though Sylvan Lake is the one that’s most likely to draw gasps. It’s utterly lovely, drawing photographers, artists and people who just want to stare at something gorgeous for a while. Set in South Dakota’s Black Hills, a dramatic landscape of alpine forests, canyons, mountains, rock formations and meadows, beach-lined Sylvan Lake feels like a serene slice of heaven.
Landlocked Tennessee makes up for its lack of coastline with some incredibly gorgeous lakes, many with beaches that rival many lapped by ocean waves. Among favourite vacation spots is Norris Lake, at the heart of Norris Dam State Park. The reservoir, around half an hour’s drive from Knoxville, has more than 800 miles (1,287km) of coastline with a marina and boat ramp, pontoon rentals and houseboats. It’s also a popular birdwatching spot, with ospreys and migrating waterfowl often spied by the lake.
It’s relatively rare to find such beauty right in the heart of a city, especially one with such a buzzy reputation as Austin. Yet Lady Bird Lake, a reservoir that’s as skinny and meandering as a river, is walkable from many of the city’s main neighbourhoods and attractions. Lined with trees and crossed by bridges including Congress Avenue Bridge, known for the bats that nest under its arches and flutter out at night, it’s particularly popular for kayaking and paddle-boarding.
Lake Powell blends so beautifully with its spectacular surroundings that it seems like it’s always been there – yet it’s actually man-made, created by the Glen Canyon Dam in 1966. The reservoir curls around red-rock canyons and sparkles under the swirling colours of Rainbow Bridge, the world’s largest natural stone bridge. It isn’t just to be gazed at, though: the lake, which is part of the Colorado River and also crosses into northern Arizona, is an incredible spot for kayaking and paddle-boarding.
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This boldly, beautifully blue lake spills a little into Canada and straddles Vermont’s border with New York, with the states linked by the looping Champlain Bridge (pictured). It’s Vermont that makes the most of its shores, though, with charming small towns and cool cities such as Burlington claiming their waterside spots. In between are bay, beaches, grassy parks and forests. Colchester Reef Light, an antique lighthouse once on the lake, is now displayed at Shelburne Farms, with public-access trails and barns right by the lake.
Lake Anne is the heart of the village of the same name and also an architectural pioneer. This is where the development of Reston, one of the first “new towns”, began in the 1960s. Today it’s a designated historic district surrounded by homes, shops and restaurants and looped by lovely bridges. The waterside is prettified with cherry blossom in spring, while in autumn it glistens in jewel colours. The waterside also has several picnic spots and a plaza, where free concerts are usually held around the pavilion in summer.
It’s no trick of the light – Diablo Lake, in North Cascades National Park, really is such a vivid milky turquoise colour. The hue is due to flour-like particles that have been naturally ground from rocks by surrounding glaciers. When the sunlight hits, they sparkle and bring the water spectacularly to life. Hikers can view the lake from trails in the national park, while there are usually boat cruises passing snow-capped peaks, waterfalls and wildlife including black-tailed deer and hoary marmots.
West Virginia has just one (very small) natural lake – Trout Pond – but the state has more than made up for that with its beautiful man-made reservoirs, designed for perfect summer days. The largest, Summersville Lake, has been dubbed “Little Bahamas of the East”. With 60 miles (97km) of shoreline fringed by soft, honey-hued sand and backed by thick forest, it does resemble a Caribbean archipelago. The beaches are understandably popular on sunny days, while scuba diving, snorkelling, swimming and kayaking draw people into the clear, turquoise-tinted water.
Wisconsin boasts miles of shoreline skirting the edges of Lake Superior and Lake Michigan but the state also packs in some smaller, less famous and equally lovely lakes. Lake Chippewa, also known as Chippewa Flowage, is perhaps the loveliest of the lot. The man-made lake, which was created in 1923 by combining the waters of 11 natural lakes plus rivers and streams, is famed for its smattering of undeveloped islands and wildlife including eagles, otters, elk and herons. Trails around its edges are popular for hiking and, in winter, cross-country skiing.
Yellowstone Lake harbours a secret. A whole national park of secrets, in fact. Recent research has found that, if Yellowstone National Park's largest body of water were completely drained it would reveal geysers, hot springs and canyons like those found around its edges. It’s also lovely to look at all year round, whether completely frozen over in winter, sparkling in the sunshine or surrounded by autumn foliage. In the warmer months, people can usually kayak around narrow inlets and coves surrounded by alpine forests and mountain peaks.