Lake Information

Lake Guide & Bays of Lake Minnetonka

There are 14 major bays in Lake Minnetonka, each one with a distinct personality. Most of the bays border entirely different cities, making them all unique. The Ritter Team has collected information on each of them and placed it here in order to make your search a little easier.

 

  • Browns Bay

    Browns Bay is one of the larger bays on the northern portion of Lake Minnetonka. It is located between Wayzata Bay and Smith Bay, and is the waterfront for the city of Navarre.
    Home Prices Between: $3,000,000 – $5,000,000

  • Carsons Bay

    Carsons Bay is an eastern bay on Lake Minnetonka located in the heart of Deephaven. This bay has a smaller opening into the lake for privacy. There is a small island at the entrance and the Wayzata Yacht Club.
    Home Prices Between: $360,000 – $1,795,000

  • Cooks Bay

    Cooks Bay is a western bay on Lake Minnetonka and is part of the city of Mound. The bay is connected by a channel to Lost Lake, which was opened to allow access to Minnetonka for the residents of Mound. The bay reaches a maximum depth of around 10 meters, or 33 feet.
    Home Prices Between: $360,000 – $1,795,000

  • Crystal Bay

    Crystal Bay is located on the northern portion of Lake Minnetonka and the bay is divided between the cities of Crystal Bay and Spring Park.
    Home Prices Between: $500,000 – $11,500,000

  • Excelsior Bay

    Excelsior Bay is located on the eastern side of Lake Minnetonka. Excelsior Bay connects with Saint Albans Bay and is on the edge of the city of Excelsior.
    Home Prices Between: $400,000 – $900,000

  • Grays Bay

    Grays Bay is located on the northern east side of Lake Minnetonka, just above the city of Minnetonka and is the main public water access for that area. Grays Bay connects right into Wayzata Bay.
    Home Prices Between: $700,000 – $2,895,000

  • Gideon Bay

    Gideon Bay is located to the south of Lake Minnetonka on the west side of Excelsior. The city of Tonka Bay is directly to the west and Gideon Bay empties into Lower Lake.
    Home Prices Between: $650,000 – $1,750,000

  • Halsted Bay

    Halsted Bay is the bay located furthest to the west and connects with Cooks Bay. Halsted Bay is in the city of Minnetrista.
    Home Prices Between: $650,000 – $3,000,000

  • Harrison Bay

    Harrison Bay is located on the northern west side of Lake Minnetonka and links up with West Arm. Harrison Bay creates a shoreline for the city of Mound.
    Home Prices Between: $400,000 – $1,300,000

  • Jennings Bay

    Jennings Bay is located next to the West Arm and Harrison Bay. It borders Mound and Saga hill.
    Home Prices Between: $450,000 – $2,000,000

  • Lafayette Bay

    Lafayette Bay is a central bay surrounded on most sides by land, including Minnetonka Beach, Big Island Regional Park, and the city of Spring Park. Lafayette Bay links to several other bays, connecting the upper and lower portions of Lake Minnetonka.
    Home Prices Between: $875,000 – $2,000,000

  • Lower Lake

    Lower Lake is the central portion of the northern half of Lake Minnetonka. It connects to nearly all of the bays in the top half of the lake, mostly creating a shoreline along the east side near Deephaven and Greenwood.
    Home Prices Between: $1,000,000 – $3,750,000

  • Maxwell Bay

    Maxwell Bay is located just north of Crystal Bay and inside the city limits of Orono. Maxwell Bay connects to Lake Minnetonka through North Arm, and a canal that connects to Crystal Bay.
    Home Prices Between: $2,000,000 – $7,000,000

  • North Arm

    North Arm is one of the most northerly bays, connecting with Maxwell Bay and Crystal Bay, this portion of Lake Minnetonka is also in the city of Orono.
    Home Prices Between: $725,000 – $2,400,000

  • St. Alban’s Bay

    St. Albans Bay is a smaller bay with lots around it. It is accessed through Excelsior Bay and borders Excelsior’s downtown, but it also has shoreline in Greenwood and Deephaven.
    Home Prices Between: $499,000 – $3,000,000

  • Smith Bay

    Smith Bay is on the eastern side of the city of Crystal Bay. Smith Bay also neighbors Browns Bay which is just to the north.
    Home Prices Between: $700,000 – $6,500,000

  • Smithtown Bay

    Smithtown Bay is located on the far southwestern corner of Lake Minnetonka. It is bordered by the city of Victoria with the cities of Shorewood and Tonka Bay nearby. The bay is large in size and is located next to the Carver Park Reserve.
    Home Prices Between: $500,000 – $2,900,000

  • Stubbs Bay

    Stubbs Bay is located in the most northerly part of Lake Minnetonka, connecting only with Maxwell Bay. This bay is also a part of the city of Orono.
    Home Prices Between: $300,000 – $2,600,000

  • Upper Lake

    Upper Lake is located just south of Spring Park Bay, and northwest of the city of Tonka Bay.
    Home Prices Between: $900,000 – $2,500,000

  • Wayzata Bay

    Wayzata Bay is located between Grays Bay and Browns Bay in the northern regions of Lake Minnetonka. The city of Wayzata is north of this bay, with Woodland just below it. It is the only passage from Grays Bay to the rest of Lake Minnetonka.
    Home Prices Between: $300,000 – $6,500,000

  • West Arm

    West Arm Bay is located to the north of Spring Park and surrounded by Jennings Bay and Harrison Bay, and connects with Crystal Bay through a channel on the east side.
    Home Prices Between: $510,000 – $3,000,000

  • West Upper

    The lowest main body of water on Lake Minnetonka is West Upper, which contains three small islands and is on the edge of the city of Minnetrista. It connects to several other bays as well as Upper Lake.
    Home Prices Between: $1,200,000 – $2,725,000

 

 

Lake Minnetonka Water Quality Grades

Lake Minnetonka is part of the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District. The Minnehaha Creek Watershed District’s water quality lake grading method was developed in 1989. Per the Minnehaha Watershed District, the lake grade shows how one lake measures up compared to other area lakes, indicates the perceived condition of the open water and three water quality measurements are combined to create each lake grade. However, there are also other factors that contribute to lake condition, including precipitation, aquatic plants, fisheries, harmful chemicals, and over-use. Therefore the Minnehaha Creek Watershed District also provides information on Understanding Lake Water Quality Grades. The following is a list of the Minnehaha Watershed District’s Lake Minnetonka Water Quality Grades categorized by Bay.