High And Dry: 4 Minnesota Counties Without A Lake!

We all know that Minnesota's nickname is "Land of 10,000 Lakes".  But did you know that we've got a few counties that actually don't have any natural lakes in it?

READ MORE: 25 Ridiculous Myths About Minnesota That Other People Actually Believe

How Many Lakes Does Minnesota Have?

If you've never rented a cabin on one of Minnesota's many lakes, that needs to get added to your bucket list.  Seeing the loons on the water, renting a pontoon and just soaking up the sun, or spending the day fishing is one of the best features of this state.  And since we have quite a few lakes to check out, your options for this summer escape is really endless.  But how many lakes does Minnesota really have?

The term "10,000 lakes" is spoken freely about Minnesota but according to the Minnesota DNR, that 10,000 number isn't accurate.  A "lake" in Minnesota is determined by having at least 10 or more acres.  By that classification, there are a total of 11,842 lakes in Minnesota.

4 Places in Minnesota Where a Natural Lake is Missing

Boats, jet ski's, water skiing, and other water fun happen in a good chunk of Minnesota.  Sadly, the following four counties in the state are missing all of these water features thanks to zero natural lakes:

Mower County 

• Austin, Minnesota is the county seat.  According to the 2020 census, this county has a population of 40,029.

Olmsted County 

• Rochester, Minnesota is the county seat.  According to the 2020 census, this county has a population of 162,847.

Pipestone County 

• Pipestone, Minnesota is the county seat.  According to the 2020 census, this county has a population of 9,424.

Rock County, Minnesota

• Luverne, Minnesota is the county seat.  According to the 2020 census, this county has a population of 9,704.

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