Where is Arbutus Lake?

Arbutus Lake is a lake in Forest County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.

What is the water temperature of Arbutus Lake?

Arbutus Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 22 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Arbutus Lake?

Arbutus Lake has a maximum depth of 28 feet. The lake covers 163 acres.

What fish are in Arbutus Lake?

Fish species found in Arbutus Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye. Arbutus Lake is located in Forest County, Wisconsin.

Are there boat ramps on Arbutus Lake?

Arbutus Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Arbutus Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Arbutus Lake?

Arbutus Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

Arbutus Lake

Forest County, Wisconsin163 acresView map Directions

Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Arbutus Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

16 ft

Clearer than most

Secchi · sampled 2026

Phosphorus

11.2 µg/L

Less phosphorus than most

Measured by Wisconsin DNR

Water temp

~68°F

Typical for Sep · EPA WQP

Max depth

28 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

163 acres

Surface area

Type

Oligotrophic

Trophic class

Oligotrophic
28 ft max depth
Public access
Limited data

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Arbutus Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 163 acres.

Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish and Largemouth Bass as abundant on Arbutus Lake. DNR survey details →

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Arbutus Lake is a 163-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Forest County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 28 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Walleye. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Forest County, Arbutus Lake ranks #18 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Arbutus Lake covers about 160 acres in Forest County. It has one public boat landing. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Arbutus Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.

What Arbutus Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Clear water16 ft of visibility
Boat launch1 documented ramp
Fishing3 species recorded

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Limited data

Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Arbutus Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.

Compare swimming lakes near Rhinelander →

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Water quality measurements for Arbutus Lake

These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Arbutus Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down. Phosphorus 11.2 µg/L. TSI 38.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	16ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	11.2µg/L	Good GoodFairPoor
Chlorophyll-a (algae)		No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water.
Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a.	38	Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.

Ask about Arbutus Lake

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Water Temperature

Arbutus Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in Apr (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

Feb

Mar

51°

Apr

51°

May

71°

Jun

74°

Jul

72°

Aug

68°

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (74°F).

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 22 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Arbutus Lake water temperature breakdown →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish and Largemouth Bass as abundant on Arbutus Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Arbutus Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. 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 1994. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Abundant)Largemouth Bass(Abundant)Walleye(Present)

Contour map (PDF) →Full WI DNR LakePage →Water quality stations →

Lake Details

Max depth

28 ft

Surface area

163 acres

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

2 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Shoreline

2.6 mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

1,545 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Arbutus LakePublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Arbutus Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Arbutus Lake in Forest 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 Arbutus Lake

Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.

Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.

Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →

Follow Arbutus Lake’s readings

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Fish Species

Panfish Largemouth Bass Walleye

Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.

Fishing Arbutus 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.

Banded Mystery SnailChinese Mystery SnailEurasian Water-MilfoilHybrid Eurasian / Northern Water-Milfoil

Water Quality Trend: Worsening

Based on 4 years of monitoring (2023–2026).

Water clarity
Worsening
4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening
+4.45 µg/L/yr3 years

See year-by-year chart →

Nearby Lakes in Forest County

Grass Lake—View →Crane Lake7 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →Lily Lake11.5 ft clear—View →St. Johns Lake10 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →Walsh Lake10 ft clear—View →Pickerel Lake10 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →

Frequently asked questions about Arbutus Lake

Where is Arbutus Lake?: Arbutus Lake is a lake in Forest County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Arbutus Lake?: Arbutus Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 163 acres.
Is Arbutus Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Arbutus Lake?: Arbutus Lake typically sits around 68°F at the surface in September, from 22 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Arbutus Lake?: Arbutus Lake has a maximum depth of 28 feet. The lake covers 163 acres.
What fish are in Arbutus Lake?: Fish species found in Arbutus Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye. Arbutus Lake is located in Forest County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Arbutus Lake?: Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish and Largemouth Bass as abundant on Arbutus Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Arbutus Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Arbutus Lake?: Arbutus Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Arbutus Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Arbutus Lake?: Arbutus Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Wisconsin's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.

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Where this data comes from

21 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2023–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX21 samples · 2023–2026

Analytical methods

Phosphorus by Colorimetry

Monitoring station identifiers (1)

WIDNR_WQX-213142

EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.