Where is Little Arbor Vitae Lake?

Little Arbor Vitae 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 Little Arbor Vitae Lake?

Little Arbor Vitae Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet. The lake covers 480 acres.

What fish are in Little Arbor Vitae Lake?

Fish species found in Little Arbor Vitae Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye. Little Arbor Vitae Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.

Are there boat ramps on Little Arbor Vitae Lake?

Little Arbor Vitae Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Arbor Vitae Lake - South, Little Arbor Vitae Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Little Arbor Vitae Lake?

Little Arbor Vitae Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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.

Little Arbor Vitae Lake

Vilas County, Wisconsin480 acresView map Directions

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

Clarity

5 ft

Typical for Wisconsin

Secchi · sampled 2026

Phosphorus

31.5 µg/L

More phosphorus than most

Measured by Wisconsin DNR

Max depth

32 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

480 acres

Surface area

Type

Eutrophic

Trophic class

Trend

Improving

7 years of samples

Eutrophic
Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
2 aquatic invasives
32 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Little Arbor Vitae Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 480 acres.

Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Arbor Vitae Lake. DNR survey details →

Loading map…

Little Arbor Vitae Lake is a 480-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 32 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 4 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Little Arbor Vitae Lake ranks #101 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-28. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Little Arbor Vitae Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch2 documented ramps
Fishing4 species recorded
Deep water32 ft surveyed max depth

Swimming conditions

Readings only

Recreation use not supported

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.

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

Whether Little Arbor Vitae 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 Minocqua →

Get alerts for Little Arbor Vitae Lake →

Water quality measurements for Little Arbor Vitae Lake

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

Murky, only visible to about 5 ft. Phosphorus 31.5 µg/L. TSI 54.

Water quality readings
Measure	Reading	Where it sits
Water clarity (Secchi depth)	5ft	Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer.
Total phosphorus	31.5µg/L	Fair GoodFairPoor
Chlorophyll-a (algae)		No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water.
Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a.	54	Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Ask about Little Arbor Vitae Lake

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

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Arbor Vitae Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Arbor Vitae Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 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. Monitored by volunteers since 1990. 2 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment

Poor · Deep Lowland lake

Trophic State Index 63 (eutrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Musky(Common)Panfish(Common)Largemouth Bass(Common)Walleye(Common)

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

Lake Details

Max depth

32 ft

Surface area

480 acres

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Lake Size & Watershed

Watershed (drainage) area

20 sq mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Shoreline

5.4 mi

HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS

Elevation

1,601 ft

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

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Big Arbor Vitae Lake - SouthPublic
Little Arbor Vitae 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 Little Arbor Vitae Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Arbor Vitae 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 Little Arbor Vitae Lake

Prices for Oct 16–18, 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 Little Arbor Vitae Lake’s readings

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

Or email

Fish Species

Musky Panfish Largemouth Bass Walleye

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

Fishing Little Arbor Vitae 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.

Banded Mystery SnailChinese Mystery SnailCurly-Leaf PondweedRusty Crayfish

Water Quality Trend: Improving

Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).

Water clarity
Improving
4 years
Phosphorus
Improving
-4.03 µg/L/yr7 years

See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

Little Arbor Vitae 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 WI10007641 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Vilas County

Mielke Lake—View →Prong Lake13.5 ft clear—View →Bittersweet Lake5.5 ft clear—View →Smith Lake8.5 ft clear—View →Oberlin Lake9.5 ft clear—View →Erickson Lake—View →

Frequently asked questions about Little Arbor Vitae Lake

Where is Little Arbor Vitae Lake?: Little Arbor Vitae 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 Little Arbor Vitae Lake?: Little Arbor Vitae Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 32 ft. Surface area: 480 acres.
Is Little Arbor Vitae Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Little Arbor Vitae 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 Little Arbor Vitae Lake?: Little Arbor Vitae Lake has a maximum depth of 32 feet. The lake covers 480 acres.
What fish are in Little Arbor Vitae Lake?: Fish species found in Little Arbor Vitae Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Walleye. Little Arbor Vitae Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Arbor Vitae Lake?: Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Little Arbor Vitae Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Arbor Vitae Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Little Arbor Vitae Lake?: Little Arbor Vitae Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Arbor Vitae Lake - South, Little Arbor Vitae Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Little Arbor Vitae Lake?: Little Arbor Vitae Lake has 2 documented boat landings 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.

Explore Little Arbor Vitae Lake across LakeQuality

Wakesurfing on Little Arbor Vitae Lake

Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules

Wisconsin Fishing Guide

Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin

Vilas County Fishing

Fish species and best lakes in Vilas County

Lake Fishing Forecast

Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

Northwoods Wisconsin

Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area

Wisconsin Lake Trips

Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings

Wisconsin River Watershed

Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality

The State of Wisconsin's Lakes

Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements

More lakes in Wisconsin

Clearest lakes in Wisconsin

Ranked by Secchi water clarity

All Wisconsin lakes

Every Wisconsin lake with its Wisconsin DNR measurements

Lake water quality by country

Official ratings and named-lake measurements

Other Lakes in Wisconsin

Horsehead Lake

Oneida County · 6.5 ft

Hancock Lake

Oneida County · 5.4 ft

Kathan Lake

Oneida County · 2.7 ft

Thunder Lake

Oneida County · 2.5 ft

Fuller Lake

Oneida County · 4.3 ft

Lake Nokomis

Oneida County · 4.3 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Carrol Lake Madeline Lake Sweeney Lake Horsehead Lake

Compare Little Arbor Vitae Lake With Nearby Lakes

Little Arbor Vitae Lake vs Big Arbor Vitae Lake

Vilas County · 6 ft

Little Arbor Vitae Lake vs Boulder Lake

Vilas County · 5.6 ft

Where this data comes from

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

Collected and reported by

Wisconsin Department of Natural ResourcesWIDNR_WQX34 samples · 2020–2026

Analytical methods

Phosphorus by Colorimetry

Monitoring station identifiers (1)

WIDNR_WQX-643074

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.

Other records on this page

Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database

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