has quite the list of must-see bodies of water. The warm summers attract tons of tourists to the lakes, and many shoreline properties are highly sought-after for summer cottages and year-round homes.

Boating, fishing, swimming, wave running, hiking, and biking are all common activities around the beautiful lakes of Indiana. With that many things to do, you’ll never be disappointed in visiting these lakes, even in the winter!

But with all those options, choosing a place to vacation in Indiana might be difficult.

Good thing

Jerry

—the

car insurance

genius

super app

—is here to go through all the best features of the largest lakes in Indiana. In this guide, we’ll go over the top ten largest lakes, where you can find them, and all the great things to do while visiting.

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Monroe (10,750 acres)

Address: E Monroe Dam Rd, Bloomington, IN 47401

Website:

Monroe Lake

Monroe lake takes the top spot for being the largest land-bound lake in Indiana, covering 10,750 acres of land. Not only is it the biggest, but it’s also one of the most popular lakes to hang out at.

There is no shortage of things to do at Monroe Lake. Year-round, you’ll find people at this lake boating, camping, fishing, hiking, and lying at the beach. The lake is also surrounded by multiple recreational areas, which offer activities such as mountain biking and horseback riding.

Patoka Reservoir (8,880 acres)

Address: County Rd 1100 W, French Lick, IN 47432

Website:

Patoka Lake

Spreading across Dubois, Crawford, and Orange counties, it’s no wonder this reservoir takes the number two spot for the largest lake in Indiana. Patoka Lake was created by damming the Patoka River—its purpose is to control floods and supply a secure water source.

It is also known for providing a habitat for freshwater jellyfish and a nesting site for bald eagles. River otters and osprey also call Patoka Lake home. But it’s not just the animals that enjoy this lake! Many people come to boat, swim, camp, and fish every year.

Gibson (3,490 acres)

Address: Unnamed Road, Owensville, IN 47665

Website:

Gibson Lake

Gibson Lake has the unique job of acting as a cooling pond for Duke Energy Indiana’s Gibson Generating System. Due to the plant’s condenser discharges, the lake stays fairly warm year-round and hardly ever has a temperature below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

With rocky beaches on all sides except two and only one entrance into the lake, Gibson is not usually people’s first choice when wanting to have a beach day with the family. It used to be open to fishing, but this activity was banned in 2007 due to the high levels of selenium found in the water. Nonetheless, Gibson Lake is a quaint body of water that allows many species of birds to stop and rest while migrating.

Wawasee (3,410 acres)

Address: 9822 N Turkey Creek Rd, Syracuse, IN 46567

Website:

Lake Wawasee

Wawasee is Indiana’s largest natural inland lake. It stretches over 3,000 acres and is 81 feet deep. This public lake attracts people from all over the state to row, hike, bike, boat, canoe, horseback ride, and lay in the sun.

If you’d like to stay nearby, the Spink Condos (previously the Spink Hotel) are a popular destination—they even hosted Al Capone! Whether you come for a day or a long weekend, you won’t run out of fun things to do at Wawasee.

Mississinewa (3,180 acres)

Address: 4673 S. 625 E. Peru, IN 46970

Website:

Mississinewa Lake

You won’t find vacation homes and hotels near this beautiful reservoir! Mississinewa is located within a 15,000-acre area of land that is protected by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. This hidden oasis has 59 miles of shoreline for swimmers, bikers, boaters, and nature-lovers to enjoy.

The limestone rock formations known as the

Seven Pillars Nature Preserve

is a must-see in this area! Take the 1.8-mile hike along the Mississinewa River, and you’ll find yourself looking at some incredible 25-foot naturally formed limestone pillars.

Cecil M. Harden (2,110 acres)

Address: 1588 S Raccoon Parkway, Rockville, IN 47872

Website:

Cecil M. Harden Lake

Cecil M. Harden Lake, previously named Mansfield Lake, was formed as a result of the damming of Big Racoon Creek. It is surrounded by the Raccoon State Recreation Area, and there are tons of things to do and explore!

You can swim, fish, boat, and waterski in this lake, and there are volleyball and basketball courts, a picnic area, and a playground all nearby. At Cecil M. Harden lake, there’s something fun for everyone!

Geist (1,890 acres)

Address: 8100 E. 106th Street, Fishers, IN 46038

Website:

Geist Reservoir

Located near Indianapolis, Geist Reservoir is the second-largest man-made lake in Indiana, providing about 7,000,000,000 gallons of water. In 2018, the City of Fishers approved a project to develop a 70-acre waterfront park which will include a beach, walking trails, open green space, and a non-motorized boat launch. The park is expected to be complete in 2022.

This reservoir has experienced rapid growth in visitors over the last couple of years and will probably continue to see more and more people with new developments. But be sure to check the safety of the lake before heading there because it has had some issues with algal blooms and invasive aquatic species.

Maxinkuckee (1,864 acres)

Address: 140 W Shore Dr, Culver, IN 46511

Website:

Maxinkuckee Lake

Maxinkuckee Lake is located in the middle of the state and is Indiana’s second-largest natural lake. Many people come to this lake for the variety of fish species that live there. People fish in Maxinkuckee year-round and often come for the walleye and bass.

If you don’t care to fish, you can go swimming, boating, hiking, or build a sandcastle!

Freeman (1,547 acres)

Address: 12084 N White Oaks Dr, Monticello, IN 47960

Website:

Lake Freeman

Lake Freeman is connected to its sister lake, Lake Shafer. The two of them are popular for swimming, speed boating, wave running, sailing, and fishing. Many people own summer cottages and homes on these lakes because of their beauty and convenient location between Chicago and Indianapolis.

The shoreline stretches 50 miles and the deepest spot in the lake is 45 feet.

MORE: The best places to live in Indiana

Lemon (1,440 acres)

Address: 7599 N Tunnel Rd, Unionville, IN 47468

Website:

Lake Lemon

Recognized as one of Indiana’s top bass fisheries, Lake Lemon is a great place for anyone looking for an exciting fishing experience. But if you’re not into fishing, it’s also a lovely lake to visit while watching the sunset, swimming, or hanging out on a boat.

On the shoreline of Lake Lemon, you’ll find Riddle Point Park, which has a public boat launch, picnic area, and plenty of spots to fish from land. The park is open from sunrise to sunset and is free to enter except on weekends and holidays.

Protecting yourself while you travel

A road trip to any of these beautiful lakes in Indiana is certainly not a bad idea, but you’ll want to be sure that you have the best car insurance plan to protect you while you travel!

Whether you’re driving across the city or across the country, you’ll need the right car insurance coverage to keep you protected on the road.

That’s where

Jerry

comes in. Jerry is the super app for car insurance that makes insurance shopping and savings a breeze. Just download the app, answer a few questions, and let the wizards at Jerry find the best policies for you. Jerry then will help with all of the paperwork and changeover—saving users an average of over $800 per year.

What’s more—for just $6.99 a month, Jerry’s roadside assistance program makes sure you’ll never be stranded while you’re out on the road, offering services like tire changes, towing, and fuel delivery.

“I moved states recently and my old provider didn’t cover me anymore, so I used
Jerry
. Jerry handled everything from fetching the quotes to purchasing the new policy. Now I save $30 a month with Progressive!” —Kay J.