Lake Superior is the deepest lake that sits at least partially within Minnesota's borders, dropping to a whopping 1,332 feet at its deepest point -- but that's not what we're talking about today.

Minnesota, the Land of 10,000 Lakes (11,842) to be exact. Some say that Wisconsin has more lakes, but as it turns out -- Minnesota has higher standards. A body of water needs to be ten acres or larger to be counted as a lake in Minnesota. Wisconsin counts a lake as 2.2 acres or larger. If Minnesota used that same sizing, we'd have more than 21,000 lakes.

Ottertail County in the northwest part of the state has the most lakes of any county in the country, with 1,046 lakes. Mower, Olmsted, Pipestone, and Rock counties don't have any natural lakes.

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Minnesota's lakes provide 44,926 miles of shoreline, which is more than the combined lake and coastal shorelines of California. That's just crazy when you think of California's Pacific coastline.

Technically the deepest lake completely within Minnesota's borders is the Mahnomen, Alstead, and Arco Mine Pit in Crow Wing County near Crosby, checking in at 525 feet deep, but as a man made lake we're not counting it today either.

Crater Lake in Oregon is 1,943 feet deep, making it the deepest lake un the U.S. and one of the deepest in the entire world. The distinction of being the deepest in the world belongs to Lake Baikal in Russia with a depth of 5,387 feet.

Some of Minnesota's Deepest Natural Lakes

• Lake Saganaga, Cook County (280 feet deep) ⬅️ The winner!
• Loon Lake, Cook County (215 feet deep)
• Lower LaSalle Lake, Hubbard County (213 feet deep)
• Ten Mile Lake, Cass County (208 feet deep)
• Rainy Lake, St. Louis County (161 feet deep)
• Leech Lake, Cass County (120 Feet deep)
• Otter Tail Lake, Otter Tail County (120 feet deep)

By contrast, a huge lake like Mille Lacs in central Minnesota (132,514 acres) which covers over 207 square miles is only 42 feet at its deepest point.