Lake Benton

Lake Benton is a glacial lake in Lincoln County in southwestern Minnesota. It is about seven miles long and lies next to the city of Lake Benton, which sits on the Buffalo Ridge. The lake is named for Thomas Hart Benton, a United States Senator from Missouri. It was once the largest lake in southwestern Minnesota but has shrunk over time through evaporation and seepage. The Lake Benton Chamber of Commerce gives its area as 2,875 acres, which it says makes it the sixth-largest lake in southern Minnesota. Lake-Link lists 2,671 acres and a maximum depth of 9 feet.

The Minnesota DNR, Lincoln County and the City of Tyler share ownership and operation of the public accesses. Lincoln County runs the Norwegian Creek North and Norwegian Creek South ramps, and the City of Tyler runs the Stoney Point ramp. The DNR Division of Parks and Trails runs the Lake Benton (SW) ramp and the Crow's Nest and Showboat carry-in sites. The Lake Benton Sportsman's Club has run an aeration system on the lake since the fall of 1980 to prevent winterkill. A Lincoln County ordinance requires users of all lakes and streams in the county to stay outside standard thin-ice signs. The club has also helped fund the purchase of public access and Al's Landing.

Game fish include walleye, northern pike and largemouth bass, along with yellow perch, crappie, bluegill and bullhead. A DNR survey in 2023 found many young walleye produced by natural reproduction, and Lower Mississippi strain walleye have been stocked since 2018. The Lake Benton Lake Association works on projects to improve the lake's water quality.