Michigan may have the largest lake in the US, but Alaska has the most lakes of any state in the US. I’m talking over three million lakes and ponds across the entire state. Some of them are only reachable by air, while others are just off the asphalt or down a gravel road. The most beautiful lakes in Alaska are all over the state, and are honestly too many to mention.
Out of three million bodies of water, it is impossible to choose the top ten of them all-everyone has their own opinion! But here are ten really awesome, popular AND off the beaten trail lakes of Alaska that are beautiful beyond belief.
- Crater Lake, Mount Katmai
“Katmai Crater 1980” by Captain Budd Christman, NOAA Corps - NOAA, line0172, America’s Coastlines Collection. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons Learn more about this unbelievable stunning blue lake at the top of Mount Katmai volcano on this informative website HERE. This is lake is one of the best lakes in Alaska, but the most dangerous to get to.
- Kenai Lake
U.S. Department of the Interior | Flickr Learn more about this stunning lake and its history as a beautiful natural attraction on this website HERE.
- Eagle Lake
Joseph | Flickr Learn more about how to hike to Eagle and Symphony Lakes on Alaska Hike Search’s website HERE.
- Kashwitna Lake
kennakenai | Flickr This lake is a beautiful lake in Willow, Alaska, and filled with fabulous fishing. Check out the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s website on more fishing information HERE.
- Kenai Lake, Alternate View
Kelly Marcum | Flickr Kenai Lake offers so many opportunities for outdoor adventure in Alaska.
- Summit Lake
Anita Gould | Flickr There’s so many things to do at Summit Lake! Check out the Summit Lake State Recreation website HERE for a comprehensive list of amazing ways you can enjoy this beautiful lake.
- Dewey Lake
Terry T | Flickr Learn all you need to know about how to hike out to this beautiful trail outside of Skagway, Alaska on AllTrails’ website HERE.
- Lake Clark, Lake Clark National Park
Lake Clark National Park & Preserve | Flickr Learn more about Lake Clark National Park and Preserve at the U.S. National Park Service website HERE. Not just a National Park, but also one of the most beautiful places in Alaska!
- Skilak Lake
Bill Bumgarner | Flickr Get a list of ways to enjoy Skilak Lake on Alaska.org’s great informational website page on the area HERE.
- Psalm Lake
Luke Jones | Flickr Check out some more great photos of this stunning lake on Flickr HERE.
What do you think the most beautiful lakes in Alaska are? Which ones are your favorite lakes? Let us know in the comments below!
“Katmai Crater 1980” by Captain Budd Christman, NOAA Corps - NOAA, line0172, America’s Coastlines Collection. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons
Learn more about this unbelievable stunning blue lake at the top of Mount Katmai volcano on this informative website HERE. This is lake is one of the best lakes in Alaska, but the most dangerous to get to.
U.S. Department of the Interior | Flickr
Learn more about this stunning lake and its history as a beautiful natural attraction on this website HERE.
Joseph | Flickr
Learn more about how to hike to Eagle and Symphony Lakes on Alaska Hike Search’s website HERE.
kennakenai | Flickr
This lake is a beautiful lake in Willow, Alaska, and filled with fabulous fishing. Check out the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s website on more fishing information HERE.
Kelly Marcum | Flickr
Kenai Lake offers so many opportunities for outdoor adventure in Alaska.
Anita Gould | Flickr
There’s so many things to do at Summit Lake! Check out the Summit Lake State Recreation website HERE for a comprehensive list of amazing ways you can enjoy this beautiful lake.
Terry T | Flickr
Learn all you need to know about how to hike out to this beautiful trail outside of Skagway, Alaska on AllTrails’ website HERE.
Lake Clark National Park & Preserve | Flickr
Learn more about Lake Clark National Park and Preserve at the U.S. National Park Service website HERE. Not just a National Park, but also one of the most beautiful places in Alaska!
Bill Bumgarner | Flickr
Get a list of ways to enjoy Skilak Lake on Alaska.org’s great informational website page on the area HERE.
Luke Jones | Flickr
Check out some more great photos of this stunning lake on Flickr HERE.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: Alaska, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Most Beautiful Lakes In Alaska July 09, 2020 Megan McDonald Why are some of the lakes so blue in Alaska? Glacial fed lakes are turquoise or bright blue-green in color because of the glaciers it sits at the base of. Silt is created as the ice from glaciers ground down rocks as it moves. This silt is very fine and light and sits suspended in the water. The sunlight reflects off of the silt and gives the lakes these gorgeous colors. Why does Alaska have so many lakes? Although Michigan proudly boasts “10,000 lakes,” Alaska is actually home to more than 3 million of them. Lakes in Alaska are primarily made from glaciers. Others were made from the snow and rain runoff from our gorgeous mountain tops. There are even a series of lakes on the North Slope that are rapidly growing, sometimes at a rate of 15 feet per year. There are thousands of these lakes that are created from “thaw slumping,” when the permafrost melts into a lake after a rapid warming period.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Most Beautiful Lakes In Alaska
July 09, 2020
Megan McDonald
Why are some of the lakes so blue in Alaska? Glacial fed lakes are turquoise or bright blue-green in color because of the glaciers it sits at the base of. Silt is created as the ice from glaciers ground down rocks as it moves. This silt is very fine and light and sits suspended in the water. The sunlight reflects off of the silt and gives the lakes these gorgeous colors. Why does Alaska have so many lakes? Although Michigan proudly boasts “10,000 lakes,” Alaska is actually home to more than 3 million of them. Lakes in Alaska are primarily made from glaciers. Others were made from the snow and rain runoff from our gorgeous mountain tops. There are even a series of lakes on the North Slope that are rapidly growing, sometimes at a rate of 15 feet per year. There are thousands of these lakes that are created from “thaw slumping,” when the permafrost melts into a lake after a rapid warming period.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Glacial fed lakes are turquoise or bright blue-green in color because of the glaciers it sits at the base of. Silt is created as the ice from glaciers ground down rocks as it moves. This silt is very fine and light and sits suspended in the water. The sunlight reflects off of the silt and gives the lakes these gorgeous colors.
Why does Alaska have so many lakes?
Although Michigan proudly boasts “10,000 lakes,” Alaska is actually home to more than 3 million of them. Lakes in Alaska are primarily made from glaciers. Others were made from the snow and rain runoff from our gorgeous mountain tops. There are even a series of lakes on the North Slope that are rapidly growing, sometimes at a rate of 15 feet per year. There are thousands of these lakes that are created from “thaw slumping,” when the permafrost melts into a lake after a rapid warming period.
