Largest lakes & reservoirs in Idaho by shoreline length
The length of the exterior shoreline around a lake is measured at the lake’s normal elevation. The shoreline length can be considerably shorter or longer when lake water levels are lower or higher than normal. A lake with many coves has a much longer shoreline than a lake of similar surface area that is nearly circular in shape.When known, the shoreline miles that we report in our statistics include only the lake’s exterior shoreline, and exclude the shorelines of islands located within a lake’s boundaries. In lakes with many islands, those islands’ combined shorelines may exceed a lake’s exterior shoreline.
You can find many of the world’s longest-shoreline lakes on LakeLubbers. Note: For some lakes, "Longest Shorelines" data is unknown or does not apply, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 23 articles we have published for Idaho lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US West Region > Idaho > Compared by longest shoreline length in miles. This list does not represent all lakes in Idaho, only the 23 Idaho lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Shoreline length in miles |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Hells Canyon Reservoirs (Eastern Oregon, Idaho, Oregon, Southwestern Idaho, US West Region, USA) |
193 mi | Also known as Brownlee Reservoir, Oxbow Reservoir, Hells Canyon Reservoir The three Hells Canyon Reservoirs are one of southwest Idaho’s most scenic locations. Idaho can’t claim this national treasure alone, however as it sh… |
| Dworshak Reservoir, ID (Idaho, North Central Idaho, US West Region, USA) |
183 mi | Dworshak Reservoir is an excellent outdoor recreation site with a great water playground of over 19,000 acres. Located in northern Idaho near the town… |
| Coeur d’Alene Lake, ID (Idaho, Northern Idaho, US West Region, USA) |
135 mi | Also known as Lake Coeur d'Alene Nestled at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in the Northern Panhandle of Idaho, 30,000-acre Coeur d’Alene Lake (pronounced Core-de-lane) is a spec… |
| Lake Pend Oreille, ID (Idaho, Northern Idaho, US West Region, USA) |
111 mi | Also known as Albeni Falls Dam Set in a valley carved by glaciers from Canada, Lake Pend Oreille (pond-a-RAY) is surrounded by mountains with altitudes exceeding 6,000 feet. Its 85,… |
| American Falls Reservoir, ID (Idaho, Southeastern Idaho, US West Region, USA) |
100 mi | With more than 56,000 acres of water sport, boating and fishing waters, surrounded by choice camping and picnic areas, American Falls Reservoir in sou… |
| Lake Cascade, ID (Idaho, Southwestern Idaho, US West Region, USA) |
86 mi | Also known as Cascade Reservoir Lake Cascade (Cascade Reservoir) is the fourth largest lake in Idaho, creating an extensive and diverse recreation site for visitors. Its nearly 30,00… |
| Priest Lake, ID (Idaho, Northern Idaho, US West Region, USA) |
70 mi | Located in the most northern portion of Idaho’s Panhandle, Priest Lake is within 30 miles of the Canadian Border. Priest Lake was naturally created at… |
| Palisades Reservoir, ID/WY (Eastern Idaho, Idaho, Southwest Wyoming, US West Region, USA, Wyoming) |
70 mi | Palisades Reservoir is set in southeast Idaho, east of Idaho Falls in a beautiful river valley. The southern end of the reservoir extends into Wyoming… |
| Island Park Reservoir (Eastern Idaho, Idaho, US West Region, USA) |
64 mi | Just half an hour southwest of west Yellowstone, MT, Island Park Reservoir hosts a recreational paradise all its own. The roughly 7000-ace reservoir i… |
| Arrowrock Reservoir (Idaho, Southwestern Idaho, US West Region, USA) |
60 mi | One in a string of three major reservoirs built to irrigate the parched Boise Valley, Arrowrock Reservoir has contributed to water recreation in south… |
| Anderson Ranch Reservoir (Idaho, Southwestern Idaho, US West Region, USA) |
50 mi | One of the true gems of the Idaho reservoir system is Anderson Ranch Reservoir. Completed along the South Fork of the Boise River in 1950, this projec… |
| Bear Lake, ID/UT (Cache Valley Region, UT, Idaho, Southeastern Idaho, US West Region, USA, Utah) |
48 mi | A natural freshwater lake straddling the borders of Utah and Idaho, Bear Lake is a 70,000-acre turquoise jewel that lives up to its moniker of “Caribb… |