Great Lakes Map Quiz at a Glance
The five Great Lakes are Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, on the border of the United States and Canada. Together they hold about a fifth of the fresh surface water on Earth. This free quiz asks you to find each lake, the eight states and the Canadian province around them, and the cities on their shores.
- Lakes
- 5
- Largest
- Lake Superior
- Smallest
- Lake Ontario
- Around them
- 8 states and Ontario
- Rounds
- 3, plus the whole map
- Price
- Free, no sign up
How to Play the Great Lakes Quiz
- Before a round, click any lake or state to see its name.
- Lakes: a lake is named and you click it on the map.
- States: the eight states and Ontario that touch the lakes.
- Cities and facts: find the lake by Chicago, Toronto or Duluth, or the biggest and the shallowest.
- Whole map asks all 14 places once each and keeps your best score on this device.
What Makes It Different
- The lakes are drawn as water you click, with the shores around them, not as land.
- Cities and lake facts in one round, so you learn where things are and why.
- A labeled map with 14 shore cities, free to print.
From west to east the lakes are Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario. Their water flows the same way, from Superior down to Ontario and out along the St. Lawrence River to the Atlantic Ocean.
How the Great Lakes Connect
Lake Superior drains through the St. Marys River into Lake Huron. Lake Michigan and Lake Huron meet at the Straits of Mackinac and sit at the same level, so scientists often count them as one lake. Huron flows through the St. Clair River, Lake St. Clair and the Detroit River into Lake Erie, and Erie pours over Niagara Falls into Lake Ontario. From there the St. Lawrence River carries the water to the Atlantic. Ships get around Niagara Falls through the Welland Canal.
The States and Province on the Lakes
Eight US states touch the Great Lakes: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. On the Canadian side there is one province, Ontario. Michigan touches four of the five lakes, every one except Lake Ontario.
Big Cities on the Shores
Chicago, on Lake Michigan, is the largest city on the Great Lakes, and Toronto, on Lake Ontario, the largest in Canada. Others include Milwaukee, Cleveland, Toledo, Buffalo, Duluth and Thunder Bay. Detroit sits on the Detroit River, between Lake Huron and Lake Erie.
The Five Great Lakes
West to east. Areas and depths from the US Environmental Protection Agency and NOAA.
| # | Lake | Area | Deepest point | Touches |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Superior | 82,100 km² (31,700 sq mi) | 406 m (1,333 ft) | Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ontario |
| 2 | Lake Michigan | 58,000 km² (22,300 sq mi) | 281 m (923 ft) | Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan |
| 3 | Lake Huron | 59,600 km² (23,000 sq mi) | 229 m (750 ft) | Michigan and Ontario |
| 4 | Lake Erie | 25,700 km² (9,910 sq mi) | 64 m (210 ft) | Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Ontario |
| 5 | Lake Ontario | 18,960 km² (7,340 sq mi) | 244 m (802 ft) | New York and Ontario |
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the five Great Lakes?
Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. A word to remember them: HOMES (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior).
Which is the biggest Great Lake?
Lake Superior, at about 82,100 km² (31,700 sq mi). It is the largest freshwater lake in the world by area and holds more water than the other four put together.
Which is the smallest Great Lake?
Lake Ontario, at about 18,960 km² (7,340 sq mi). Lake Erie is the shallowest and holds the least water.
Which Great Lake is only in the United States?
Lake Michigan. The other four are shared between the United States and Canada.
Which states border the Great Lakes?
Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York, plus the Canadian province of Ontario.
How do the Great Lakes connect to the Atlantic Ocean?
Water flows from Lake Superior to Lake Huron, from Huron to Lake Erie, over Niagara Falls into Lake Ontario, and then down the St. Lawrence River to the Atlantic.
What is the order of the Great Lakes from west to east?
Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario. A sentence to remember it: Super Man Helps Every One.
Is the Great Lakes quiz free?
Yes. There is no sign up and nothing to download. Sign in only if you want your scores on the leaderboard.
Made by Kashif Sulehria in Lahore, Pakistan. Updated October 23, 2026.