Largest lakes & reservoirs in 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 2151 articles we have published for lakes.
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Below are lakes within Compared by longest shoreline length in miles. This list does not represent all lakes in , only the 2151 lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Shoreline length in miles |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Travis, TX (Hill Country Region, TX, Texas, US Southwest Region, USA) |
270 mi | Lake Travis is a beautiful 18,930 acre reservoir in the Hill Country of central Texas, about 12 miles northwest of Austin. It is over 63 miles long wi… |
| Lake Kivu (African Great Lakes, Congo (DRC), Rwanda) |
250 mi | Also known as Lac Kivu Lake Kivu is one of the youngest of the African Great Lakes. Located in the Rift Valley, Lake Kivu is thought to be only 15,000 years old. Forming par… |
| Robert S. Kerr Reservoir, OK (Green Country, OK, Kiamichi Country, OK, Oklahoma, US Southwest Region, USA) |
250 mi | Also known as Kerr Lake The Robert S Kerr Reservoir, located in east-central Oklahoma, is one of the most popular recreation destinations spanning the state’s Green Country a… |
| Lake Koocanusa, MT / Canada (British Columbia, Canada, Canada, Glacier Country, MT, Montana, US West Region, USA) |
249 mi | Also known as Koocanusa Lake, Koocanusa Reservoir In the far north of the United States, tucked into the northwestern end of Montana, is the long, narrow Lake Koocanusa. This lake is actually a man-ma… |
| Lake Wateree, SC (Olde English District, SC, South Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
242 mi | Also known as Wateree Lake Lake Wateree lies 30 miles northeast of Columbia, South Carolina near Interstate 77. Duke Energy created the lake in 1920 by building a dam on the Cat… |
| Lake Wallula, OR/WA (Eastern Oregon, Oregon, South Central Washington, US West Region, USA, Washington) |
242 mi | Lake Wallula, a 64 mile long reservoir, is a wide open glassy lake that extends from northeastern Oregon to southeastern Washington. Lake Wallula rece… |
| Tims Ford Lake, TN (Middle Tennessee, Tennessee, US South Region, USA) |
241 mi | Also known as Tims Ford Reservoir Nestled in south central Tennessee between Tullahoma and Winchester, the clear, deep water of the Elk River meets the wooded sloped shores of Tims For… |
| Lake Winnipesaukee, NH (Lakes Region, NH, New Hampshire, US New England Region, USA) |
240 mi | By far the largest lake in the state, Lake Winnipesaukee covers an incredible 44,586 New Hampshire acres. The lake is the third largest lake in all of… |
| Fontana Lake, NC (Mountains Region, NC, North Carolina, US South Region, USA) |
238 mi | Also known as Fontana Reservoir Fontana Lake, nestled in western North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains, was built by the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to provide hydroelectric power to… |
| Lake Chippewa, WI (Lake Superior Northwoods Region, WI, US Midwest Region, USA, Wisconsin) |
233 mi | Also known as Chippewa Flowage, Hayward Lakes Tucked away in Sawyer County in northwest Wisconsin, Lake Chippewa is a rare undeveloped paradise. Called the “Big Chip,” Lake Chippewa is one of Wisc… |
| Turtle-Flambeau Flowage, WI (Lake Superior Northwoods Region, WI, US Midwest Region, USA, Wisconsin) |
229 mi | Called the “Crown Jewel of Wisconsin,” Turtle-Flambeau Flowage is a beautiful undeveloped getaway. Its quiet water, plentiful fish and wildlife and pr… |
| Lake Whitney (Prairies and Lakes Region, TX, Texas, US Southwest Region, USA) |
225 mi | Also known as Whitney Lake, Whitney Reservoir A welcoming oasis of water in the often dry Texas Prairies and Lakes Region, Lake Whitney draws visitors from some of the largest cities in Texas. Abo… |