Key Highlights
According to Instagram, these are the most PICTURESQUE lakes
• Lake Tahoe takes first place, with over three million posts.
• Lake Michigan and Lake Superior rank second and third, with over 2.8 million and 1.1 million posts, respectively.
• Analysis of Instagram hashtag data reveals the most picturesque lakes in North America.
2024 Ranking of The Most Picturesque Lakes in North America
A new study has revealed the most picturesque lakes in North America.
The study, by vacation rental platform Lake.com, analyzed Instagram posts containing hashtags relating to each lake for every major lake in North America to determine the most picturesque ones.
In first place is Lake Tahoe. Straddling the border between California and Nevada, this freshwater lake has accumulated 3,053,173 Instagram posts featuring the #LakeTahoe hashtag. Lake Tahoe was found to have the most posts of any lake contained solely within America and any lake throughout North America.
In second place is Lake Michigan. Spread across Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan, this great lake is the third largest of the great lakes, behind Lake Superior and Lake Huron. In total, Lake Michigan has 2,831,512 posts featuring the #LakeMichigan hashtag on Instagram.
Lake Superior is third on the list, with 1,187,896 Instagram posts featuring the #LakeSuperior hashtag. Straddling the US-Canada border and touching the coasts of Ontario, Minnesota, Michigan, and Wisconsin, Lake Superior is also notably the largest freshwater lake in North America and the entire world by surface area.
In fourth place is Lake Ontario, the smallest of the great lakes in terms of area. It spans the US-Canada border with Ontario to the north and New York to the south. Lake Ontario was found to have 1,025,574 posts containing the #LakeOntario hashtag on Instagram.
Fifth place goes to Lake Erie. Situated on the border between Canada and America, Lake Erie was found to have 1,011,490 posts on Instagram containing the #LakeErie hashtag.
The remainder of the top ten features Lake Norman in sixth place with 678,983 posts and Lake George in seventh with 626,647 posts.
Eighth place goes to Lake Geneva with 590,672 posts, while Lake Havasu ranks ninth with 587,434 posts.
Lake Huron, which was found to have 574,347 posts, is ranked the list in tenth place.
Interestingly, Lake Fork, Texas, had the fewest hashtag posts in the United States, at just 105.
The Top 10 Lakes with the Most Instagram Hashtag Posts
| Rank | Lake | Hashtag | No. of hashtagged Instagram posts |
| 1. | Lake Tahoe | #LakeTahoe | 3,053,172 |
| 2. | Lake Michigan | #LakeMichigan | 2,831,512 |
| 3. | Lake Superior | #LakeSuperior | 1,187,896 |
| 4. | Lake Ontario | #LakeOntario | 1,025,574 |
| 5. | Lake Erie | #LakeErie | 1,011,490 |
| 6. | Lake Norman | #LakeNorman | 678,983 |
| 7. | Lake George | #LakeGeorge | 626,647 |
| 8. | Lake Geneva | #LakeGeneva | 590,673 |
| 9. | Lake Havasu | #LakeHavasu | 587,434 |
| 10. | Lake Huron | #LakeHuron | 574,347 |
David Ciccarelli, CEO of Lake.com, commented on the findings, saying:
“The data reveal some fascinating insights into the continent’s natural beauty. It’s remarkable to see how social media platforms like Instagram can showcase the captivating allure of these lakes, drawing attention from people far and wide.”
“These findings underscore the profound impact of these scenic spots, not only on local communities but also on a global scale, as they inspire countless individuals to explore and appreciate the wonders of nature.”
The Methodology and Full Data Set
Our Methodology
Data was collected on the number of posts featuring the hashtag of each respective lake on Instagram, e.g., #LakeTahoe, #LakeMichigan, #Lake Superior, etc., with lakes ranked by the total number of posts found containing each lake. “Lake” had to be in the hashtag, as other popular tourist destinations near or on lakes, such as Muskoka, which is a region of the Ozarks, another region, were by definition excluded.
Full Data Set of Most Picturesque Lakes by Instagram Hashtags
Below is a table of extended results:
| Rank | Lake | Hashtag | No. of Hashtagged Instagram Posts |
| 1. | Lake Tahoe | #LakeTahoe | 3,053,172 |
| 2. | Lake Michigan | #LakeMichigan | 2,831,512 |
| 3. | Lake Superior | #LakeSuperior | 1,187,896 |
| 4. | Lake Ontario | #LakeOntario | 1,025,574 |
| 5. | Lake Erie | #LakeErie | 1,011,490 |
| 6. | Lake Norman | #LakeNorman | 678,983 |
| 7. | Lake George | #LakeGeorge | 626,647 |
| 8. | Lake Geneva | #LakeGeneva | 590,673 |
| 9. | Lake Havasu | #LakeHavasu | 587,434 |
| 10. | Lake Huron | #LakeHuron | 574,347 |
| 11. | Lake Powell | #LakePowell | 463,919 |
| 12. | Lake Travis | #LakeTravis | 364,995 |
| 13. | Lake of the Ozarks | #LakeoftheOzarks | 355,529 |
| 14. | Lake Champlain | #LakeChamplain | 328,671 |
| 15. | Lake Lanier | #LakeLanier | 258,368 |
| 16. | Lake Mead | #LakeMead | 254,577 |
| 17. | Lake Washington | #LakeWashington | 224,807 |
| 18. | Lake Simcoe | #LakeSimcoe | 190,239 |
| 19. | Lake Minnetonka | #LakeMinnetonka | 187,974 |
| 20. | Lake Winnipesaukee | #LakeWinnipesaukee | 171,603 |
| 21. | Lake Murray | #LakeMurray | 162,037 |
| 22. | Lake of the Woods | #LakeoftheWoods | 156,152 |
| 23. | Grand Lake | #GrandLake | 145,702 |
| 24. | Lake Wylie | #LakeWylie | 143,078 |
| 25. | Lake St. Clair | #LakeSt.Clair | 135,985 |
| 26. | Lake Martin | #LakeMartin | 134,398 |
| 27. | Lake Conroe | #LakeConroe | 125,510 |
| 28. | Great Salt Lake | #GreatSaltLake | 122,423 |
| 29. | Lake Cumberland | #LakeCumberland | 109,557 |
| 30. | Lake Hartwell | #LakeHartwell | 107,979 |
| 31. | Lake Pleasant | #LakePleasant | 99,930 |
| 32. | Lake of Bays | #LakeofBays | 94,688 |
| 33. | Lake Muskoka | #LakeMuskoka | 84,959 |
| 34. | Lake Minnewanka | #LakeMinnewanka | 82,450 |
| 35. | Lake Keowee | #LakeKeowee | 78,326 |
| 36. | Lake Wallenpaupack | #LakeWallenpaupack | 77,369 |
| 37. | Lake Anna | #LakeAnna | 76,018 |
| 38. | Lake Rosseau | #LakeRosseau | 74,717 |
| 39. | Lake Texoma | #LakeTexoma | 72,968 |
| 40. | Kootenay Lake | #KootenayLake | 60,716 |
| 41. | Lake Winnipeg | #LakeWinnipeg | 56,380 |
| 42. | Lake Berryessa | #LakeBerryessa | 54,345 |
| 43. | Otter Lake | #OtterLake | 53,927 |
| 44. | Lake Guntersville | #LakeGuntersville | 51,216 |
| 45. | Lake Okeechobee | #LakeOkeechobee | 49,106 |
| 46. | Red Lake | #RedLake | 48,727 |
| 47. | Lake Lewisville | #LakeLewisville | 47,970 |
| 48. | Moosehead Lake | #MooseheadLake | 45,326 |
| 49. | Pigeon Lake | #PigeonLake | 44,204 |
| 50. | Lake Cowichan | #LakeCowichan | 43,028 |
| 51. | Lake Pontchartrain | #LakePontchartrain | 42,347 |
| 52. | Lake Joseph | #LakeJoseph | 40,600 |
| 53. | Lake Allatoona | #LakeAllatoona | 38,535 |
| 54. | Lake Monroe | #LakeMonroe | 35,942 |
| 55. | Lake Coeur d’Alene | #LakeCoeurd’Alene | 34,802 |
| 56. | Lake Eufaula | #LakeEufaula | 33,914 |
| 57. | Lac la Biche | #LaclaBiche | 33,408 |
| 58. | Lake Okanagan | #LakeOkanagan | 33,189 |
| 59. | Lake Nipissing | #LakeNipissing | 32,380 |
| 60. | Rainy Lake | #RainyLake | 26,492 |
| 61. | Lake Nacimiento | #LakeNacimiento | 24,738 |
| 62. | Lac Saint-Jean | #LacSaint-Jean | 24,175 |
| 63. | Cameron Lake | #CameronLake | 19,513 |
| 64. | Lake Barkley | #LakeBarkley | 19,049 |
| 65. | Great Slave Lake | #GreatSlaveLake | 17,527 |
| 66. | Lake Granbury | #LakeGranbury | 16,994 |
| 67. | Lake Marion | #LakeMarion | 16,855 |
| 68. | Lake McConaughy | #LakeMcConaughy | 14,583 |
| 69. | Saint John River | #SaintJohnRiver | 14,211 |
| 70. | Lake Helen | #LakeHelen | 13,915 |
| 71. | Mille Lacs Lake | #MilleLacsLake | 10,720 |
| 72. | Lake Sakakawea | #LakeSakakawea | 10,639 |
| 73. | Lake Manitoba | #LakeManitoba | 10,455 |
| 74. | Lake Seminole | #LakeSeminole | 10,131 |
| 75. | Lake Diefenbaker | #LakeDiefenbaker | 8,491 |
| 76. | Seton Lake | #SetonLake | 5,881 |
| 77. | Lesser Slave Lake | #LesserSlaveLake | 5,782 |
| 78. | Lake Temagami | #LakeTemagami | 5,754 |
| 79. | Lake Memphremagog | #LakeMemphremagog | 5,608 |
| 80. | Jackfish Lake | #JackfishLake | 5,571 |
| 81. | Caddy Lake | #CaddyLake | 4,675 |
| 82. | Shoal Lake | #ShoalLake | 3,585 |
| 83. | Lac des Deux Montagnes | #LacdesDeuxMontagnes | 3,503 |
| 84. | Lake Nipigon | #LakeNipigon | 2,870 |
| 85. | Lake Meredith | #LakeMeredith | 2,866 |
| 86. | Lake of the Prairies | #LakeofthePrairies | 2,753 |
| 87. | Lake Gogebic | #LakeGogebic | 2,741 |
| 88. | Lake Newell | #LakeNewell | 2,520 |
| 89. | Lac la Ronge | #LaclaRonge | 2,438 |
| 90. | Reindeer Lake | #ReindeerLake | 2,222 |
| 91. | Great Bear Lake | #GreatBearLake | 2,182 |
| 92. | Quesnel Lake | #QuesnelLake | 2,137 |
| 93. | Williston Lake | #WillistonLake | 2,135 |
| 94. | Loughborough Lake | #LoughboroughLake | 1,909 |
| 95. | Lake Athabasca | #LakeAthabasca | 1,896 |
| 96. | Lake Kipawa | #LakeKipawa | 1,705 |
| 97. | Gander Lake | #GanderLake | 1,534 |
| 98. | Wollaston Lake | #WollastonLake | 1,487 |
| 99. | Lake Magog | #LakeMagog | 1,415 |
| 100. | Atlin Lake | #AtlinLake | 1,354 |
| 101. | Lake Athapapuskow | #LakeAthapapuskow | 1,281 |
| 102. | Lake Utopia | #LakeUtopia | 1,264 |
| 103. | Lake Laberge | #LakeLaberge | 1,239 |
| 104. | Big Whiteshell Lake | #BigWhiteshellLake | 987 |
| 105. | Lac Vieux Desert | #LacVieuxDesert | 984 |
| 106. | Lac Saint-François | #LacSaint-François | 452 |
| 107. | Wapizagonke Lake | #WapizagonkeLake | 428 |
| 108. | Algonquin Lake | #AlgonquinLake | 423 |
| 109. | Lake Melville | #LakeMelville | 386 |
| 110. | Clearwater Lakes | #ClearwaterLakes | 383 |
| 111. | Quirpon Island | #QuirponIsland | 374 |
| 112. | Lake Timiskaming | #LakeTimiskaming | 309 |
| 113. | Little Manitou Lake | #LittleManitouLake | 309 |
| 114. | Lac Dufault | #LacDufault | 218 |
| 115. | Lake Winnipegosis | #LakeWinnipegosis | 217 |
| 116. | Lake Ramsay | #LakeRamsay | 205 |
| 117. | Burntwood River | #BurntwoodRiver | 195 |
| 118. | Lac des Îles | #LacdesÎles | 183 |
| 119. | Lake Despair | #LakeDespair | 138 |
| 120. | Lake Waskesiu | #LakeWaskesiu | 138 |
| 121. | Lake Ouareau | #LakeOuareau | 125 |
| 122. | Lake Abitibi | #LakeAbitibi | 121 |
| 123. | Athabasca Lake | #AthabascaLake | 119 |
| 124. | Lake Fork Reservoir | #LakeForkReservoir | 105 |
| 125. | Lake Saint-Jean | #LakeSaint-Jean | 72 |
| 126. | Lac Mistassini | #LacMistassini | 66 |
| 127. | Lake Saint Pierre | #LakeSaintPierre | 25 |
| 128. | Lac Île-à-la-Crosse | #LacÎle-à-la-Crosse | 5 |
| 129. | Lake Gogama | #LakeGogama | 4 |
More Data-Driven Reports
Access proprietary reports on lakes, rivers, and parks. Ideal for journalists, travel writers, and environmental reporters seeking reliable, in-depth data.
Best Water Sports Destinations in the USA
We rank Florida as the best US state for water sports vacations due to its access to lakes and beaches, great weather, and low water-related injury rates. Texas and Michigan follow in second and third place, while South Dakota ranks the worst. See why.
The Cleanest and Dirtiest Lakes in America
A new study reveals that Lake Louise in Florida is the cleanest lake in the US, while Utah Lake holds the title of the dirtiest. Additionally, several lakes in Casselberry, Florida, exhibit high levels of lead contamination. See the science behind which lakes are safest.
The Most Underrated National Parks Named
We identified the most underrated national parks in America, with North Cascades in Washington ranking first. The study evaluated national parks with fewer than 750,000 visits last year, considering visitor volumes, reviews, and ratings.