Crawling Stone Lake
Crawling Stone Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 87 ft. Surface area: 1483 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Crawling Stone Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 16 ft
- Max depth
- 87 ft
- Area
- 1,483 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Crawling Stone Lake is a 1,483-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 87 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Crawling Stone Lake ranks #55 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-07-14. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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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)
Crystal clear, you can see 16 ft down. Phosphorus level: 10.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 10.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Crawling Stone Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Crawling Stone 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.
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Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Crawling Stone Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Crawling Stone 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 2004. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 87 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,483 acres |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Crawling Stone 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 | -0.429 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +2.3 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #55 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Crawling Stone Lake
Where is Crawling Stone Lake?
- Crawling Stone Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Crawling Stone Lake?
- Crawling Stone Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 16 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 87 ft. Surface area: 1483 acres.
Is Crawling Stone Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Crawling Stone Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Crawling Stone Lake?
- Crawling Stone Lake has a maximum depth of 87 feet. The lake covers 1483 acres.
What fish are in Crawling Stone Lake?
- Fish species found in Crawling Stone Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Crawling Stone Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Crawling Stone Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Panfish as common on Crawling Stone Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Crawling Stone 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.
Explore Crawling Stone Lake across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
26 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX26 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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