Let's start by asking the question: What defines a body of water as a lake?

According to the National Park Service, there isn't only one rule to define a lake much differently than a pond. However most people see that if a body of water is deep and huge then it's a lake. So if the sunlight is able to reach down to the bottom of the water, then you are probably look at a pond.

Now that we've covered what a lake is, let's talk about how Maine is one of the 10 top states that that have the most lakes.

How many lakes are in Maine?

Our state is uber famous for its beautiful shores and yummy seafood, but did you know that it's got over 6,000 lakes!

According to White Clouds, stretching out to a whopping 117 square miles, the big kahuna: Moosehead Lake.

Moosehead is the largest but not the only one by far. I am not going to list all 6,000 lakes but we'll cover the top 20 largest

Listed below are the top twenty largest lakes in Maine

Is your county listed? This list is according to Maine Encyclopedia.

Moosehead (Greenville)
Sebago (Sebago)
Chesuncook (Piscataquis)
Flagstaff (Somerset)
Pemadumcook (Penobscot)
Spednic (Washington)
Mooselookmeguntik (Franklin)
Grand Lake (east) (Aroostook)
Grand Lake (west) (Washington)
Chamberlain (Piscataquis)
Big Lake (Washington)
Brassua (Somerset)
Millinocket (Penobscot)
Eagle Lake (Piscataquis)
Great Pond (Kennebec)
Square Lake (Aroostook)
Graham (Hancock)
Umbagog (Oxford)
Schoodic (Piscataquis)
Richardson Lakes (Oxford)

Have you ever been to any of these lakes? I've got a soft spot for Sebago.

I remember cruising on my bestie Katie's boat on Sebago last summer, dancing to '90s hip hop, our hair blowing in the win and watching our kids splash around are memories that'll stay with me forever.

According to White Clouds, the leading five states with the highest number of lakes are Alaska, Washington, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, with Alaska taking the coveted top spot.

If you liked this, you may also be interested in "Can You Guess The Deepest Lake in Maine?"