There are 76 natural lakes and about 2,300 more manmade ones across Pennsylvania. Many of these have become popular spots to enjoy outdoor activities like camping at quiet Canadohta Lake or hiking the underrated trails around Tuscarora Lake. The state’s history of mining, farming, and industrial pursuits are massively detrimental for water quality, though.

The 2022 Pennsylvania Integrated Water Quality Report found that 33% of the region’s waterways fail to meet at least one quality standard set in the federal Clean Water Act. For Pennsylvania lakes, there are three main pollution sources: agriculture, drainage from abandoned mines, and stormwater runoff from urban areas. Given this, it’s no surprise that the state’s two largest population centers also have the dirtiest water. Roughly 97% of the waterways in Philadelphia County are impaired, for instance. Meanwhile, Allegheny County — home to the one-time industrial powerhouse of Pittsburgh — has 915 impaired stream miles; that’s roughly 69% of the county’s waterways. With lakes specifically, another major concern is eutrophication, which is when accumulated sediment and nutrients prompt high algae growth. This is a natural lake aging process, but it’s also sped up by human activity.

On the plus side, Pennsylvania has been steadily working to improve its water quality. Roughly 28,000 acres of public lakes have been restored since 2004, and even the once-impaired waterways of southwest Pennsylvania are now clean enough that strange creatures called the “livers of rivers” are reappearing in them. The Poconos region has some of the state’s cleanest water, and only 3% (the lowest in the state) of north-central Cameron County’s waterways are impaired. So, if you’re seeking clear waters to explore during your next travel adventure, this list of Pennsylvania’s five cleanest lakes will show you where to start.

Widely regarded as one of the state’s best hidden gems, the Endless Mountain region of northeastern Pennsylvania is known for its pristine natural beauty and rural small-town charm. Smaller crowds don’t just mean a tranquil atmosphere, either. They’re also part of what’s spared Eagles Mere Lake and its surrounding landscapes from the pollution that plagues many Pennsylvania lakes.

The 116-acre Eagles Mere Lake is a natural glacier lake fed by underwater springs. That means its waters start off very pure, and the Eagles Mere Association is committed to keeping them that way. Boats brought to here must be cleaned before entering the water, and the water is tested weekly during the summer swimming season to ensure bacteria levels stay low.

There are a number of ways to enjoy your time at Eagles Mere Lake. Swimming, canoeing, and fishing are popular activities in the summer, while winter means it’s time for ice skating and cross-country skiing. You can also walk around the lake via Laurel Path, a hiking trail that’s been in use since the 1800s. World’s End State Park, about eight miles to the north, is a top spot for hunting, camping, whitewater rafting, and hiking over 20 miles of trails. Visitors with an interest in history should also tour the village of Eagles Mere, a quiet lake village with storybook cottages and outdoor fun hidden in the Pennsylvania mountains.

About an hour east of Eagles Mere, on the other side of Ricketts Glen (northeastern Pennsylvania’s ethereal state park with waterfall hikes and scenic campgrounds), is a region known as Back Mountain. Along with 10 small towns and two state parks, the area is home to Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania’s largest natural lake. This landmark has a surface area of 621 acres and, in places, is over 100 feet deep. That depth, combined with the notably clear water, makes Harveys Lake one of the best fishing spots in northeastern Pennsylvania. It is stocked yearly with trout and walleye and regularly hosts bass fishing tournaments.

Like Eagles Mere Lake, Harveys Lake is spring-fed with cool, pure water. Sunset Beach, along the southern shore, is open for swimming from May through September and has a launch and berths for kayaks and paddleboards. Here, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission also maintains a public boat launch (though not rentals, so you’ll need to bring your own watercraft).

While Harveys Lake is a highlight of Back Mountain, it’s not the only way to enjoy the local wilderness. Frances Slocum State Park, less than 10 miles to the east, has hiking trails, campsites, and over 1,000 acres of forest and wetlands around yet another lake, where you can rent kayaks or paddleboats. To the south is the trailhead for the Back Mountain Rail Trail. Currently, this trail runs for about 4 miles from Luzerne to Dallas, but there are plans to eventually extend it the entire way to Harveys Lake.

Located in northwestern Pennsylvania’s Mercer County, Lake Wilhelm is a 1,724-acre reservoir that was created when Sandy Creek was dammed in 1971. Though it’s only about an hour’s drive north of Pittsburgh, it feels like an unspoiled paradise, surrounded by mature forests and wetlands that give the area rich biodiversity. Wildlife surveys conducted here by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission in 2024 captured 17 fish species, including varieties like largemouth bass, muskellunge, walleye, and catfish that are popular with anglers. And, unlike many lakes in Pennsylvania, Wilhelm has been assessed to support fish consumption, meaning what you catch in the lake is safe to eat (something that is also true for the other four destinations on this list).

Lake Wilhelm is bordered on its north shore by Maurice K. Goddard State Park, while its upper tip is within State Game Land 270. This adds to the outdoor recreation you can enjoy here, opening up opportunities for hiking, biking, hunting, and winter sports like snowmobiling and skiing. The area is popular with birders, who come to see fish-eating raptors like ospreys and bald eagles, as well as waterfowl like teals, mergansers, and buffleheads. Once-rare birds like purple martins and eastern bluebirds have also made a comeback thanks to the park’s nesting box program, and visitors often spot pileated woodpeckers in the winter. You can see other animals, like turtles and beavers, at observation areas on the lake’s shore. For more human-centric entertainment, visit the Lake Wilhelm Marina in August for live music, food trucks, and a car cruise during the annual Music at the Marina festival.

The Pocono Mountains region is a popular outdoor escape for people from New York City, which is only a couple hours’ drive away. Within this 2,400 mile area are roughly 170 miles of rivers, some 35 golf courses, and extensive skiing and hiking trails across two national and nine state parks. Tobyhanna State Park, a scenic escape for hiking and kayaking, is home to the 170-acre Tobyhanna Lake.

Once known for its active ice harvesting industry, Tobyhanna Lake is now renowned for its vibrant blue water. Reviews also consistently praise the cleanliness of the surrounding shore. The sandy beach is open for swimming from Memorial Day through mid-September, and there are boat launches on the eastern and western shores that allow visitors to rent rowboats, kayaks, canoes, and paddleboats. Self-sustaining populations of bass, perch, pumpkinseed, and pickerel, along with regularly restocked trout, mean anglers can catch a variety of fish here — and not only in the summer. Ice fishing is popular in the winter, as are activities like ice skating and snowshoeing.

If you’d prefer to observe Tobyhanna Lake from dry land, the 5.1-mile Lakeside Trail is a fairly easy hike that circles its entire perimeter and connects to the campground and beach. You can also explore the Black Bear and Bender swamps by taking the Range Trail or Frank Gantz Trail, both of which offer more strenuous hiking and opportunities to spot local wildlife. The area is especially beautiful in June, when the mountain laurels and rhododendrons are blooming.

While southwest Pennsylvania’s overall water quality is questionable, Yellow Creek Lake is the exception. Located just 65 miles east of Pittsburgh in the town of Indiana, this large, 720-acre lake was created in 1969 when a dam was constructed on Yellow Creek. It has become a favorite destination for western Pennsylvania’s fishing enthusiasts, with about 230,000 people visiting the park each year for that purpose. As Yellow Creek State Park manager James Tweardy told Dark Skies Fly Fishing, this spot is “a great bass fishing lake,” where “fishing can be good in the shallows all spring and summer.” The size of the fish in Yellow Creek Lake is as noteworthy as the species variety (which includes muskellunge, walleye, and pike). The average pike catch is around 24 inches and can be over 30 inches, with walleyes up to 26 inches and muskellunge often around 42-49 inches.

Along with water recreation like fishing, boating, and swimming, birdwatching is a top activity at Yellow Creek Lake. A common resting point for migrating birds, the park is particularly popular during the spring migration season. In March, you can see wood ducks, wigeons, grebes, and mergansers out on the water, while late March to early May is when the warblers migrate through the surrounding woods. Yellow Creek State Park also has year-round avian inhabitants. Various species of woodpecker are active along Laurel Run Trail, and Dam Site Trail passes through areas several songbird species use for nesting in May and June.

Lakes were selected for this list based on their performance in the 2024 Integrated Water Quality Report released by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection. In this report, all bodies of water are evaluated across four categories of protected uses: 

• Aquatic Life: Whether the lake is able to support a healthy aquatic ecosystem, based on its taxonomic richness and the presence of pollution-sensitive organisms
• Potable Water Supply: Whether surface waters can be used for drinking, cooking, and other domestic purposes based on the concentration of chemicals, dissolved solids, and toxic substances
• Recreation: Whether the lake is safe for activities like swimming, boating, and water sports, based on its bacterial content and aquatic plant coverage
• Fish Consumption: Whether fish living in the lake are safe to eat based on the levels of mercury, chlordane, persistent chemical substances (PFOS, PFAS, PFOA, etc.), and other contaminants in their flesh

Based on assessments across these four protected uses, lakes are separated into categories. These range from Category 1, which are waters that support all uses, to Category 5r, waters that are impaired in at least one category, do not meet quality standards, require monitoring, and need a restoration plan. Each spot that made this list of Pennsylvania’s five cleanest lakes resides in Category 1 (per the 2024 Integrated Water Quality Report) and was similarly categorized in the 2022 report, indicating sustained water quality.