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

How deep is Clear Lake?

Clear Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet and an average depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 515 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Clear Lake?

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

Can I fish at Clear Lake?

Clear 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.

Clear Lake

Vilas County, Wisconsin515 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Wisconsin DNR for this lake.

Max depth

45 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

515 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

4.7 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
45 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Clear Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 515 acres.

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Clear Lake is a 515-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 45 feet (16-foot average). Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Clear Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp
Deep water45 ft surveyed max depth

Swimming conditions

No reading

Recreation use not supported

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Clear Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Clear 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.

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Water quality measurements for Clear Lake

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

No clarity data. TSI undefined.

Ask about Clear Lake

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

Lake Details

Max depth

45 ft

Average depth

16 ft

Surface area

515 acres

Shoreline

4.7 mi

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Clear 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 Clear Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Clear 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 Clear Lake

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Follow Clear Lake’s readings

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Fishing Clear Lake

→ Clear Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

Clear Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).

Causes of impairment

Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10027803 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Vilas County

Fawn Lake1.1 miView →Spider Lake10.5 ft clear · Mesotrophic1.7 miView →Island Lake9.9 ft clear1.8 miView →Stone Lake10.5 ft clear1.7 miView →Big Lake1.8 miView →Anne Lake2.3 miView →

Frequently asked questions about Clear Lake

Where is Clear Lake?: Clear Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Clear Lake?: Clear Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 45 ft. Surface area: 515 acres.
Is Clear Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Clear Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Clear Lake?: Clear Lake has a maximum depth of 45 feet and an average depth of 16 feet. The lake covers 515 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Clear Lake?: Clear Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Clear Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Clear Lake?: Clear 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.