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LakeQuality

Horseshoe Lake

B
Grade B — Good
Good · #13 of 28 lakes in the county · 7.3 ft clear · Mesotrophic · 113 acres
Limited DataMesotrophic

Horseshoe Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 7.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 113 acres.

Clarity
7.3 ft
Max depth
19 ft
Area
113 acres
Type
Mesotrophic
Public access
Yes

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Horseshoe Lake is a 113-acre mesotrophic lake in Barron County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 19 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2020. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Northern Pike. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 27 other monitored lakes in Barron County, Horseshoe Lake ranks #13 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2020-08-31. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.

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Swimming Safety

Grade only

Limited data

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

Compare the safest swimming lakes near Hayward

Get alerts for Horseshoe Lake

Water Quality Grade: B (Good)

Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.3 ft. Phosphorus level: 19.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 48.

MetricValueGrade
Water Clarity (Secchi Depth)7.3 ftNot graded
Phosphorus19.2 µg/LGood
Chlorophyll-a (Algae)No recent samples
Trophic State Index (TSI)48Mesotrophic

Moderate nutrients, good water quality

Where to stay near Horseshoe Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Horseshoe Lake in Barron 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 Horseshoe Lake

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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →

Lake Details

CharacteristicValue
Maximum Depth19 ft
Surface Area113 acres
Public AccessYes

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
Shoreline
2.3 mi
Elevation
1,339 ft

Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).

Recreation & Access

1
Boat Landings
Yes
Public Access
  • Horseshoe LakePublic

Fish Species

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

Fishing Horseshoe 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.

Chinese Mystery Snail

WI DNR Lake Profile

Authoritative data from the Wisconsin DNR LakePages. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2020).

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Panfish(Common)Walleye(Common)Largemouth Bass(Present)Northern Pike(Present)

County Ranking

Ranked #13 of 28 lakes in Barron County

Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades

Horseshoe Lake holds Grade B. One nearby lake has a higher nutrient-and-algae grade — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.

Nearby Lakes in Barron County

Frequently asked questions about Horseshoe Lake

What is the water quality grade for Horseshoe Lake?

Horseshoe Lake in Barron County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 7.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 19 ft. Surface area: 113 acres.

Is Horseshoe Lake safe to swim in?

Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Horseshoe Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.

How deep is Horseshoe Lake?

Horseshoe Lake has a maximum depth of 19 feet. The lake covers 113 acres.

What fish are in Horseshoe Lake?

Fish species found in Horseshoe Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Horseshoe Lake is located in Barron County, Wisconsin.

Are there boat ramps on Horseshoe Lake?

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

State Parks Near Horseshoe Lake

Mesotrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Where this data comes from

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

Collected and reported by

  • Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX6 samples · 2020

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

Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory