Pioneer Lake
Pioneer Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 429 acres.
- Clarity
- 9.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 71°F
- Max depth
- 27 ft
- Area
- 429 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Pioneer Lake is a 429-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 27 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Pioneer Lake ranks #9 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-10-13. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 15.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 15.2 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Pioneer Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pioneer Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Pioneer Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Pioneer Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 47 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pioneer Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pioneer Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (32,211 cells/mL) on May 23, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 27 ft |
| Surface Area | 429 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pioneer LakePublic
Named access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, snapped within 5 km. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pioneer Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.039 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.9 µg/L/yr | 3 |
EPA Impairment Status
Pioneer Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10007721 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.85 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #9 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Pioneer Lake
Where is Pioneer Lake?
- Pioneer Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Pioneer Lake?
- Pioneer Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 429 acres.
Is Pioneer Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Pioneer Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Pioneer Lake?
- Pioneer Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in August, from 47 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pioneer Lake?
- Pioneer Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet. The lake covers 429 acres.
What fish are in Pioneer Lake?
- Fish species found in Pioneer Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Pioneer Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
Does Pioneer Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pioneer Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (32,211 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Pioneer Lake?
- Pioneer Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pioneer Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Pioneer Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
127 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX127 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Fish and recreation data from Wisconsin DNR Lakes
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory