Lake Minnetonka, Recreational lake in Minneapolis metro area, United States.

Lake Minnetonka is a lake about 16 miles west-southwest of Minneapolis, Minnesota, made up of interconnected kettle lakes, channels and marshlands. It has 18 islands, roughly 23 named bays and 125 miles (201 km) of irregular shoreline. A long wooded peninsula and a small round wooded island lie in open water.

The Dakota used this area for hunting and fishing for centuries before European settlers arrived in the mid-1800s. After the conflict of 1862, the lake became a resort destination for wealthy families from Minneapolis.

The Dakota name Mní iá Tháŋka, "the-water-they-speak-of-is-large," was recorded by Governor Alexander Ramsey, who named the lake in 1852. Spirit Knob, a peninsula near Wayzata, served the Dakota as an offering site, and Big Island was a maple sugar camp. The Dakota kept the lake hidden from Euro-Americans because of its spiritual importance.

Most visitors reach the water through public access points spread across several towns around the perimeter. Sailboats and motorboats dominate in summer, while winter allows ice fishing and snowmobiling.

Steamboats once carried streetcar cars on their decks, transporting passengers between landings. Crystal Bay reaches a depth of roughly 101 feet (31 meters), making it one of the deepest spots in the region.