Horseshoe Lake

Horseshoe Lake sits at the top of the Wisconsin DNR grading rubric with an A, a mark reached by the cleanest lakes in Wisconsin. Sub-grades cluster within a single letter of each other, which usually means the lake is in stable trophic balance rather than fighting one specific stressor.

A TSI value of 39 puts Horseshoe Lake in the oligotrophic range, where biological productivity stays low and the water column remains clear. A maximum depth of 19 ft puts Horseshoe Lake in the middle of Wisconsin's depth distribution. Horseshoe Lake covers 113 acres alongside partial shoreline records — a mid-sized water that supports a working fishery without being so large that conditions diverge between basins. Horseshoe Lake ranks 5 of 38 in Barron County, putting it in the upper tier of locally monitored lakes.

Horseshoe Lake has at least one documented invasive species (Chinese Mystery Snail), so boaters and anglers should observe clean-drain-dry steps when leaving the lake. The fishery includes walleye alongside the lake's other 4 documented species — a notable draw for Wisconsin anglers. A documented public access point at Horseshoe 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.