Big Arbor Vitae Lake

Big Arbor Vitae Lake sits at the top of the Wisconsin DNR grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Wisconsin. The three sub-grades — clarity, phosphorus, and chlorophyll-a — track close together, so no single parameter is dragging the average.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Big Arbor Vitae Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. A maximum depth of 41 ft puts Big Arbor Vitae Lake in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. At 1,070 acres, Big Arbor Vitae Lake is one of the larger lakes in Vilas County, with partial shoreline records supporting multiple distinct use patterns. Within the 202 graded lakes of Vilas County, Big Arbor Vitae Lake sits at rank 162, near the bottom of the county list.

An invasive species record — Banded Mystery Snail — has been logged at Big Arbor Vitae Lake; Wisconsin DNR maintains the official infested-waters list. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 4 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. A documented public access point at Big Arbor Vitae Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.