Bear Lake
Forest County, Wisconsin66 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Bear Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Cause unknown
- Rusty Crayfish
- 20 ft max depth
- Public access
Bear Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 66 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Bear Lake. DNR survey details →
Bear Lake is a 66-acre mesotrophic lake in Forest County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 20 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including Panfish and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Forest County, Bear Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Bear Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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. Bear Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Bear 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.
Water quality measurements for Bear Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Bear Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.6 ft. Phosphorus 18.5 µg/L. TSI 49.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 18.5µg/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. | 49 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Bear Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Bear Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Apr (about 48°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (48°F) to its warmest (79°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 20 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bear Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Bear Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bear Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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 2006. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2026).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
20 ft
Surface area
66 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
13 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
1.5 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,381 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Bear LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Bear Lake
- Bear Lake0.4 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Bear Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bear 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 Bear Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Bear 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 (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Stable7 years
Phosphorus
Improving-2.71 µg/L/yr7 years
EPA Impairment Status
Bear Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10006939 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Forest County
Frequently asked questions about Bear Lake
Where is Bear Lake?
- Bear 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 Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 66 acres.
Is Bear Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Bear Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake typically sits around 70°F at the surface in August, from 20 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake has a maximum depth of 20 feet. The lake covers 66 acres.
What fish are in Bear Lake?
- Fish species found in Bear Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass. Bear Lake is located in Forest County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Bear Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Bear Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Bear Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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 Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bear Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Bear Lake?
- Bear 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.
Are there campgrounds on Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Bear Lake. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Bear Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Forest County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Wolf River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
63 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX63 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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.
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles