Where is Nelson Lake?

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

How deep is Nelson Lake?

Nelson Lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet and an average depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 2717 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Nelson Lake?

Nelson Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Nelson Lake, Nelson Lake. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Nelson Lake?

Nelson 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.

Nelson Lake

Sawyer County, Wisconsin2,717 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from Wisconsin DNR for this lake.

Max depth

33 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

2,717 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

27.1 mi

Measured length

Impaired · Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)
33 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Nelson Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 2717 acres.

Loading map…

Nelson Lake is a 2,717-acre lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 33 feet (11-foot average). Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Nelson Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch2 documented ramps
Deep water33 ft surveyed max depth
Big water2,717 acres

Swimming conditions

No reading

Recreation use not supported

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

Whether Nelson 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 Hayward →

Get alerts for Nelson Lake →

Water quality measurements for Nelson Lake

These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Nelson 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. TSI undefined.

Ask about Nelson Lake

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

Lake Details

Max depth

33 ft

Average depth

11 ft

Surface area

2,717 acres

Shoreline

27.1 mi

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Nelson LakePublic
Nelson 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 Nelson Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Nelson Lake in Sawyer 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 Nelson 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 Nelson Lake’s readings

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

Or email

Fishing Nelson Lake

→ Nelson Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

EPA Impairment Status

Nelson Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5R).

Causes of impairment

Nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen)

Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10006780 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Sawyer County

Nelson Lake5 ft clear · Eutrophic0.3 miView →Smith Lake6 ft clear3.1 miView →Indian School Lake4.5 miView →Totagatic Flowage4.2 miView →Hayward Lake6.2 miView →Pacwawong Lake6.6 miView →

Frequently asked questions about Nelson Lake

Where is Nelson Lake?: Nelson Lake is a lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Nelson Lake?: Nelson Lake in Sawyer County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 33 ft. Surface area: 2717 acres.
Is Nelson Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Nelson Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5R) for nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Nelson Lake?: Nelson Lake has a maximum depth of 33 feet and an average depth of 11 feet. The lake covers 2717 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Nelson Lake?: Nelson Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Nelson Lake, Nelson Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Nelson Lake?: Nelson 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.