Bear Lake
Bear Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 295 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Bear Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 8 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 20 ft
- Area
- 295 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Oneida County
Swipe left or right on this bar to open the next or previous lake.
Bear Lake is a 295-acre mesotrophic lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 20 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 66 other monitored lakes in Oneida County, Bear Lake ranks #8 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-23. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Bear Lake water quality
Subscribe for LakeQuality updates by email. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
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 8 ft. Phosphorus level: 17.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 17.7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Bear Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Bear Lake in Oneida 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
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 →
Water Temperature
Bear Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Sep (about 69°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 8 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Bear Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Bear Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (55,976 cells/mL) on April 8, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Bear Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bear Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 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 1986. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 20 ft |
| Surface Area | 295 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Cedar FallsPublic
- Bear LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.286 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | -0.22 µg/L/yr | 7 |
County Ranking
Ranked #8 of 67 lakes in Oneida County
Nearby Lakes in Oneida County
Frequently asked questions about Bear Lake
Where is Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake is a lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake in Oneida County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 295 acres.
Is Bear Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Bear Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 8 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). 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 295 acres.
What fish are in Bear Lake?
- Fish species found in Bear Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Bear Lake is located in Oneida 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 a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Bear Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does Bear Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Bear Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (55,976 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Bear Lake?
- Bear Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cedar Falls, Bear Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Bear Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Oneida County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area
Top lakes and where to stay in the Minocqua Chain area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its grade
Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
More Wisconsin Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Wisconsin
Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
74 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_WQX74 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- Total Phosphorus After Block Digestion
- 2130 B ~ Nephelometric Method
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