Papoose Lake
Papoose Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 422 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Papoose Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 15 ft
- Typical in August
- 70°F
- Max depth
- 65 ft
- Area
- 422 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
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Papoose Lake is a 422-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 65 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 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, Papoose Lake ranks #24 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-12. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 15 ft down. Phosphorus level: 10.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10.4 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Papoose Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Papoose 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 Papoose Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Papoose Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 73°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 24 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Papoose Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Papoose Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Papoose Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
WI DNR Lake Profile
Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. Monitored by volunteers since 1991. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 65 ft |
| Surface Area | 422 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Papoose 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 Papoose 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 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.094 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.28 µg/L/yr | 7 |
County Ranking
Ranked #24 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Papoose Lake
Where is Papoose Lake?
- Papoose 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 Papoose Lake?
- Papoose Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 15 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 422 acres.
Is Papoose Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Papoose Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Papoose Lake?
- Papoose Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 24 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Papoose Lake?
- Papoose Lake has a maximum depth of 65 feet. The lake covers 422 acres.
What fish are in Papoose Lake?
- Fish species found in Papoose Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Papoose Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Papoose Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Papoose Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Papoose Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Papoose Lake?
- Papoose Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Papoose Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Papoose Lake across LakeGrade
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
132 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX132 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
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