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

Is Cloud Lake safe to swim in?

Based on E. coli testing, Cloud Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 16 samples across 5 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Cloud Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Wisconsin's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.

What is the water temperature of Cloud Lake?

Cloud Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October, from 110 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is Cloud Lake?

Cloud Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 28 acres.

What fish are in Cloud Lake?

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

Are there boat ramps on Cloud Lake?

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

Can I fish at Cloud Lake?

Cloud 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.

Cloud Lake

Forest County, Wisconsin28 acresView map Directions

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

Phosphorus

13 µg/L

Less phosphorus than most

Measured by Wisconsin DNR

Chlorophyll-a

1.2 µg/L

Less algae than most

Measured by Wisconsin DNR

Water temp

~56°F

Typical for Oct · EPA WQP

Max depth

25 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

28 acres

Surface area

Type

Oligotrophic

Trophic class

Oligotrophic
25 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Cloud Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 28 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Cloud Lake. DNR survey details →

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Cloud Lake is a 28-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Forest County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 25 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, Cloud Lake ranks #3 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-11-20. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

Cloud Lake covers about 28 acres in Forest County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Cloud Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.

What Cloud Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Bacteria tested: low

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.

Bacteria testing record

from E. coli testing · 16 samples, 5 seasons

Based on E. coli testing, Cloud Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 16 samples across 5 seasons.

This is a historical summary of past testing, not a current condition — bacteria levels change quickly, especially after rain. Always check Wisconsin’s current beach and health-department advisories before swimming.

Whether Cloud 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 Cloud Lake

These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Cloud 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. Phosphorus 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.2 µg/L. TSI 37.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)		No reading How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	13µg/L	Good GoodFairPoor
Chlorophyll-a (algae)	1.2µg/L	Good GoodFairPoor
Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a.	37	Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

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

Ask about Cloud Lake

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

Water Temperature

Cloud Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 62°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 64°F) and coldest in Nov (about 40°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

Feb

Mar

45°

Apr

55°

May

57°

Jun

64°

Jul

64°

Aug

64°

Sep

56°

Oct

40°

Nov

Dec

Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (40°F) to its warmest (64°F).

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 110 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Cloud Lake water temperature breakdown →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Cloud Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cloud Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 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. 1 station on file (most recent sample 1994).

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Present)Largemouth Bass(Present)

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

Lake Details

Max depth

25 ft

Surface area

28 acres

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Cloud LakeSemi-private

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

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Cloud Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Cloud 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 Cloud 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 Cloud Lake’s readings

Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.

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Fish Species

Panfish Largemouth Bass

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

Fishing Cloud Lake

Water Quality Trend: Improving

Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).

Phosphorus
Stable
+0.13 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving
-0.8 µg/L/yr6 years

See year-by-year chart →

Nearby Lakes in Forest County

Deer Lake—View →Otter Lake—View →Bear Lake5.6 ft clear · Mesotrophic—View →Revolver Lake—View →Camp Six Lake—View →Langer Lake—View →

Frequently asked questions about Cloud Lake

Where is Cloud Lake?: Cloud 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 Cloud Lake?: Cloud Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Phosphorus: 13 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 28 acres.
Is Cloud Lake safe to swim in?: Based on E. coli testing, Cloud Lake never exceeded the EPA safe-swimming threshold (235 MPN/100mL) — on 0% of 16 samples across 5 seasons. That is a historical summary of past bacteria testing, not a current reading and not a swimming clearance. Bacteria levels can spike quickly after heavy rain, so whether Cloud Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for Wisconsin's water agency and the county health department; check their current beach advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Cloud Lake?: Cloud Lake typically sits around 56°F at the surface in October, from 110 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Cloud Lake?: Cloud Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet. The lake covers 28 acres.
What fish are in Cloud Lake?: Fish species found in Cloud Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass. Cloud Lake is located in Forest County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Cloud Lake?: Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as present on Cloud Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Cloud Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Cloud Lake?: Cloud Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Cloud Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Cloud Lake?: Cloud 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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State Parks Near Cloud Lake

Governor Thompson State Park

State Park · 12 mi

Other Lakes in Wisconsin

King Lake

Marinette County · Measured

Big Lake

Shawano County · 8 ft

Koonz Lake

Shawano County · 10.8 ft

Bealeau Lake

Shawano County · 11.5 ft

Malone Lake

Shawano County · 13.5 ft

Mission Lake

Shawano County · 17.5 ft

Oligotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

King Lake Pine Ridge Lake Wheeler Lake Paya Lake

Where this data comes from

87 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.

Collected and reported by

Forest County Potawatomi Community (Tribal)FCPOTAWATOMI_WQX87 samples · 2020–2025

Analytical methods

4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
4500 P F ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry Automated Ascorbic Acid Method
10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination

Monitoring station identifiers (1)

FCPOTAWATOMI_WQX-CLOUD

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.