Whether you want to relax on the water, fish, sail, or simply take in some stunning scenery, Illinois has more to offer than most people realize. The state touches one of the Great Lakes and is home to several massive man-made reservoirs that rank among the largest in the entire Midwest. Here is a guide to the 20 biggest lakes in Illinois — covering their size, location, and what makes each one worth visiting.
1. Lake Michigan – Largest Lake Bordering Illinois
Lake Michigan is the only one of the five Great Lakes located entirely within the United States, and its southeastern shore forms Illinois’ northeastern border. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume and the third-largest by surface area.
Surface area: approximately 22,404 square miles
Maximum depth: approximately 925 feet
Shoreline (total): approximately 1,638 miles across four states (Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan)
Illinois has roughly 63 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, anchored by the city of Chicago. The lake is home to steelhead, brown trout, coho salmon, chinook salmon, and several other species that are stocked annually.
Note: Lake Michigan and Lake Huron are hydrologically connected through the Straits of Mackinac and are sometimes treated as a single body of water by scientists — but for practical purposes they are counted separately here.
Read: Biggest Lakes In The United States Of America [Top 20]Learn about the largest lakes across the entire USA
2. Carlyle Lake – Largest Lake Wholly Within Illinois
Carlyle Lake is the largest man-made lake in Illinois and the largest lake entirely contained within the state. Located about 50 miles east of St. Louis in Clinton County (with portions extending into Bond and Fayette counties), the reservoir was created when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dammed the Kaskaskia River. Construction began in October 1958 and was completed in April 1967.
Surface area: approximately 26,000 acres
Shoreline length: approximately 85 miles
Maximum depth: approximately 35 feet
Average depth: approximately 11 feet
Carlyle is well-known among sailors as one of the finest and most challenging sailing lakes in the Midwest. Boating, fishing, hunting, bird watching, and camping are all extremely popular. The lake supports channel catfish, flathead catfish, largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, and bluegill.
Read: Biggest Lakes In New York [Top 20]Learn about the largest lakes across New York State
3. Rend Lake – Second Largest Impoundment in Illinois
Rend Lake is the second largest impoundment in Illinois, formed by damming the Big Muddy River. Located in Franklin and Jefferson Counties near Benton, the lake was completed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1971.
Surface area: approximately 18,900–20,633 acres
Shoreline length: approximately 162 miles
Maximum depth: approximately 35 feet
Average depth: approximately 10 feet
Dimensions: 13 miles long, 3 miles wide
The Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area lines part of the shoreline. Crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, and largemouth bass are the most sought-after species. Rend Lake attracts nearly 2 million visitors annually.
Read: Biggest Lakes In Ohio [Top 20]Learn about the largest and deepest lakes in Ohio
4. Lake Shelbyville – Third Largest Lake in Illinois
Lake Shelbyville ranks third among Illinois’s largest lakes. Created by damming the Kaskaskia River in Shelby and Moultrie Counties, the lake filled in 1970 and was officially dedicated on September 12 of that year.
Surface area: approximately 11,100 acres
Shoreline length: approximately 250 miles (including wooded coves and inlets)
Maximum depth: approximately 67 feet
Average depth: approximately 16 feet
Length: approximately 17 miles
Lake Shelbyville is bordered by Wolf Creek State Park and Eagle Creek State Park. It is one of the deeper major lakes in Illinois, making it especially popular with boaters during summer. The lake supports largemouth bass, white bass, walleye, channel catfish, flathead catfish, muskie, sauger, and crappie.
Read: Biggest Lakes In Pennsylvania [Top 20]Learn about the largest and shallowest lakes in Pennsylvania
5. Fox Chain O’Lakes – Illinois’ Busiest Inland Waterway
The Fox Chain O’Lakes is a collection of 15 glacially formed lakes connected by channels along the Fox River in Lake County, northern Illinois. The system is recognized as the busiest inland recreational waterway in the United States per acre.
Total surface area: approximately 7,100 acres (about 11 square miles)
Shoreline (combined): approximately 76 miles
Maximum depth: approximately 17 feet
Location: Lake County, northeastern Illinois
The larger lakes in the chain include Pistakee, Nippersink, Fox, Grass, and Petite. The waterway is administered by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Fox Waterway Agency. Fish stocked annually include walleye, muskie, and largemouth bass. Free boat ramps are available at Chain O’Lakes State Park; private launch facilities operate throughout the system.
Read: Biggest Lakes In Florida [Top 20]Learn about the deepest lake in Florida
6. Crab Orchard Lake – Largest Reservoir in the Wildlife Refuge
Crab Orchard Lake is the largest of three reservoirs within the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge in Williamson County, southern Illinois. Built in the late 1930s for recreational and flood control purposes, the lake covers approximately 6,965 acres and reaches a maximum depth of about 25 feet.
The refuge is an important stopover for migrating waterfowl. Little Grassy Lake and Devil’s Kitchen Lake feed the main reservoir. Boating, fishing, swimming, and camping are all popular here.
7. Clinton Lake – Central Illinois Recreation Hub
Clinton Lake, located in DeWitt County near the city of Clinton, is part of the Clinton Lake State Recreation Area. The 4,900-acre reservoir was created in 1978 and has since become recognized for excellent catfish and game fish angling. It reaches a maximum depth of about 48 feet.
The lake is surrounded by approximately 136 miles of shoreline and offers hiking, picnicking, camping, and horse trails in addition to water sports. Cross-country skiing is popular around the shoreline in winter months.
8. Lake Springfield – Largest Municipally Owned Lake in Illinois
Lake Springfield is the largest municipally owned lake in Illinois, created in 1935 when the Spaulding Dam was constructed across Sugar Creek in Sangamon County. The reservoir covers approximately 4,260 acres with about 57 miles of shoreline.
Maximum depth: approximately 24–28 feet
Residences, public parks, boat docks, and the Henson Robinson Zoo all line the 92-kilometer waterfront. The lake supports a diverse fish population including carp, flathead catfish, northern pike, and muskellunge, and offers jet skiing, water skiing, and swimming.
9. Horseshoe Lake – An Oxbow Lake in West-Central Illinois
Horseshoe Lake is a natural oxbow lake located in Alexander County, about 7 miles north of Cairo in far southern Illinois. The lake itself covers approximately 2,400 acres within a 10,200-acre state fish and wildlife area.
The site has a distinctly Deep South character thanks to bald cypress, tupelo gum, swamp cottonwood trees, and wild lotus. The lake hosts at least 287 bird species — including bald eagles, Canada geese, white egrets, and the rare Eurasian tree sparrow, which is found at very few locations in North America. The majority of the lake is shallow (roughly 3 feet), with one deeper area of about 54 feet due to historic sand dredging.
10. Kinkaid Lake – Sandstone Bluffs and Rolling Hills
Kinkaid Lake is a scenic 2,750-acre reservoir in Jackson County, created in 1968 on the eastern border of the Shawnee National Forest about 8 miles from Murphysboro. It reaches a maximum depth of approximately 80 feet — making it one of the deeper lakes in southern Illinois.
The lake is ringed by sandstone cliffs, rolling hills, and forests. Camping facilities are available nearby. Popular fish include bluegill, largemouth bass, catfish, and crappie. Hunting is permitted in the surrounding area with a valid Illinois licence.
11. Lake of Egypt – Recreation in Little Egypt
Located in the “Little Egypt” area of southern Illinois (Williamson and Johnson Counties), the Lake of Egypt is a privately owned reservoir covering approximately 2,300 acres, created in 1962 when the Saline River was dammed. It is owned and operated by Southern Illinois Power Cooperative (SIPC).
Despite being privately owned, the lake is open to the public for water skiing, jet skiing, and swimming. Largemouth bass, bluegill, channel catfish, and crappie are abundant. The Shawnee National Forest on one side of the lake offers camping for overnight visitors.
12. Fox Lake – Heart of the Chain O’Lakes
Fox Lake is one of the largest individual lakes in the Fox Chain O’Lakes system in Lake County, northeastern Illinois. The lake covers approximately 2,721 acres and reaches a maximum depth of about 17 feet.
When the Wisconsin glacier retreated thousands of years ago, it left behind a series of lakes in the Fox River Valley — Fox Lake among them. Today, Fox Lake is one of the busiest aquatic recreation destinations in the country and, like all lakes in the chain, benefits from annual fish stocking of walleye, muskie, and largemouth bass.
13. Cedar Lake – Reservoir Near Carbondale
Cedar Lake is a 1,750-acre reservoir in Jackson County, formed in 1974 by damming Cedar Creek (a tributary of the Big Muddy River). Located about 5 miles south of Carbondale, the lake was built primarily as a drinking water source for Carbondale residents. Kayaking, canoeing, and fishing are also permitted.
The lake has a maximum depth of about 14 feet. The city maintains a public beach and boat dock. Crappie and bass are particularly popular catches.
14. Pistakee Lake – Largest Individual Lake in the Chain
Pistakee Lake, at approximately 1,700 acres, is the largest individual lake within the Fox Chain O’Lakes system. Located in Lake County, the lake has a maximum depth of about 34 feet in its deeper drop-offs, though its average depth is around 6 feet.
The name “Pistakee” derives from an Algonquin word traditionally associated with “buffalo,” which once roamed the Illinois plains. The lake has five full-service marinas and multiple boat launch ramps, and is also popular for ice fishing in winter. Species found here include black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, muskie, northern pike, walleye, and yellow perch.
15. Lake Taylorville – Recreation and Fishing
Lake Taylorville (also called Taylorville Lake) is a 1,200-acre reservoir in Christian County, created in 1962 by damming the South Fork of Illinois’ Sangamon River to provide drinking water and recreation for the community of Taylorville. The lake has a maximum depth of about 9 feet.
The lake features a 50-mile shoreline with numerous coves. It is regarded as one of Illinois’ top five fishing lakes and regularly hosts local tournaments. Bass, perch, crappie, and sauger are the most sought-after species. Year-round motorboating, water skiing, and kayaking are available.
16. Lake Lou Yaeger – Recreation Lake Near Litchfield
Lake Lou Yaeger is a roughly 1,400-acre recreational lake in Montgomery County near Litchfield, built in 1966 for flood control. The lake is 8 miles long and approximately a half-mile wide, with a shoreline of about 45 miles lined with deciduous trees.
Two marinas and a beach provide water access. The lake is popular with water skiers, tubers, and anglers targeting large largemouth bass, white bass, crappie, bluegill, and catfish. Bald eagles have been nesting near the lake since 2005. Picnic and campsites are available from April through October.
17. Lake Glenn Shoals – Fishing and Water Sports
Lake Glenn Shoals (also known as Glenn Shoals Lake) is a 1,250-acre reservoir in Montgomery County near Hillsboro. Formed in 1978 by damming the Middle Fork of Shoal Creek, the lake was renovated in 1996 and has become a popular outdoor recreation destination. It has a maximum depth of about 10 feet.
Largemouth bass, bluegill, hybrid striped bass, channel catfish, and tiger muskie are all found here. The lake is divided into speed zones — up to 35 mph from dam to bridge, and a “no wake” zone north of the bridge. A full-service marina provides nearly everything boaters need.
18. Grass Lake – Part of the Fox Chain
Grass Lake is one of the nine lakes linked by channels to form the Fox Chain O’Lakes in Lake County, northeastern Illinois. It covers about 1,700 acres and reaches a maximum depth of about 18 feet, with characteristically warm, clear water and abundant aquatic vegetation.
Bluegill, largemouth bass, crappie, and channel catfish are the primary species. The lake is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. A campsite and marina operate during fishing season.
19. Lake Mattoon – Lively Summer Recreation Destination
Lake Mattoon is a 765-acre municipally owned reservoir in Coles, Cumberland, and Shelby Counties, built in 1957 by damming a tributary 12 miles southwest of the city of Mattoon to supply drinking water and recreation for Mattoon and Neoga. The lake has a maximum depth of about 35 feet and an average depth of about 10 feet.
The lake is 4 miles long by about a half-mile wide with a 56-mile shoreline. Camping is popular along the shore, and the lake hosts water skiing and the annual Bagel Fest celebration in July. Bass, catfish, crappie, and bluegill make it a productive fishing spot.
20. Lake Shelbyville to Small Chain Lakes – Other Notable Illinois Waters
Illinois has dozens of smaller reservoirs, municipal lakes, and park lakes worth exploring beyond the top 19. Notable examples include:
- Sangchris Lake (Sangamon County) — about 2,200 acres, popular for sailing and crappie fishing
- Evergreen Lake (McLean County) — drinking water supply for Bloomington-Normal with good fishing
- Lake Decatur (Macon County) — water supply for the city of Decatur covering about 2,800 acres
- Lake Pittsfield / Cap Sauers Holdings — scenic forest preserve lakes in the Chicago area
No matter your level of experience or preferred activity, Illinois waters offer something for everyone.
Final Thoughts
Illinois is home to some of the most impressive bodies of water in the Midwest — from the shores of Lake Michigan at Chicago to the vast quiet of Carlyle Lake, Rend Lake, and the glacial Fox Chain O’Lakes. Whether you’re fishing, sailing, kayaking, camping, or just taking a scenic drive, you’ll find outstanding lakeside experiences throughout the state.
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