Where is North Spirit Lake?

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

What is the water temperature of North Spirit Lake?

North Spirit Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.

How deep is North Spirit Lake?

North Spirit Lake has a maximum depth of 22 feet. The lake covers 224 acres.

Can I fish at North Spirit Lake?

Public access to North Spirit Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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.

North Spirit Lake

Price County, Wisconsin224 acresView map Directions

Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for North Spirit Lake. Here is what has been measured.

Clarity

5 ft

Typical for Wisconsin

Secchi · sampled 2026

Phosphorus

34.6 µg/L

More phosphorus than most

Measured by Wisconsin DNR

Water temp

~76°F

Typical for Aug · EPA WQP

Max depth

22 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

224 acres

Surface area

Type

Eutrophic

Trophic class

Eutrophic
Impaired · Cause unknown
Rusty Crayfish
22 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

North Spirit Lake in Price County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 34.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 224 acres.

Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on North Spirit Lake. DNR survey details →

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North Spirit Lake is a 224-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Price County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 22 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available. Compared to the 12 other monitored lakes in Price County, North Spirit Lake ranks #10 for water quality.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-09. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

North Spirit Lake covers about 220 acres in Price County. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near North Spirit Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.

What North Spirit Lake is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Fishing5 species recorded

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. North Spirit Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether North Spirit 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 Wausau →

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Water quality measurements for North Spirit Lake

These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for North Spirit 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 34.6 µg/L. TSI 55.

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	34.6µg/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.	55	Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic

High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity

Ask about North Spirit Lake

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

Water Temperature

North Spirit Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 76°F. Usually warmest in Jun (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

62°

May

76°

Jun

Jul

76°

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (62°F) to its warmest (76°F).

Typical surface water temperature by month, from 9 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full North Spirit Lake water temperature breakdown →

DNR fisheries survey

Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on North Spirit Lake.

A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows North Spirit 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 1986. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).

DNR Assessment

Good · Shallow Headwater lake

Trophic State Index 56 (eutrophic) · 5-year average

Fish Species (DNR-rated)

Walleye(Abundant)Musky(Common)Panfish(Common)Largemouth Bass(Common)Northern Pike(Common)

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

DNR Reports & Resources

Wisconsin DNR Fisheries scientists publish multi-year survey reports for North Spirit Lake covering fish populations, stocking, water quality, and management. 1 report on file.

These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).

2024
Spirit Lakes netting and shocking survey, 2024
Netting Survey · WI DNR · 2024 (PDF)

Lake Details

Max depth

22 ft

Surface area

224 acres

Public access

Yes

Listed by Wisconsin DNR

Stays via Stay22

Stays near North Spirit Lake

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near North Spirit Lake in Price 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 North Spirit 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 North Spirit Lake’s readings

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Fish Species

Musky Panfish Largemouth Bass Northern Pike Walleye

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

Fishing North Spirit 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 SnailRusty Crayfish

Water Quality Trend: Improving

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

Water clarity
Improving
7 years
Phosphorus
Improving
-1.21 µg/L/yr6 years

See year-by-year chart →

EPA Impairment Status

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

Causes of impairment

Cause unknown

Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life, Recreation.

Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10008722 · Official waterbody report

Nearby Lakes in Price County

Stone Lake—View →Hultman Lake—View →Big Briens Lake—View →Worcester Lake—View →Cranberry Lake—View →Musser Lake3.2 ft clear · Eutrophic—View →

Frequently asked questions about North Spirit Lake

Where is North Spirit Lake?: North Spirit Lake is a lake in Price County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of North Spirit Lake?: North Spirit Lake in Price County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 34.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 22 ft. Surface area: 224 acres.
Is North Spirit Lake safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. North Spirit Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of North Spirit Lake?: North Spirit Lake typically sits around 76°F at the surface in August, from 9 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is North Spirit Lake?: North Spirit Lake has a maximum depth of 22 feet. The lake covers 224 acres.
What fish are in North Spirit Lake?: Fish species found in North Spirit Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. North Spirit Lake is located in Price County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at North Spirit Lake?: Wisconsin DNR rates Walleye as abundant on North Spirit Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows North Spirit 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.
Can I fish at North Spirit Lake?: Public access to North Spirit Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 North Spirit Lake across LakeQuality

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State Parks Near North Spirit Lake

Council Grounds State Park

State Park · 24.6 mi

Other Lakes in Wisconsin

Lake Mohawksin

Lincoln County · 4 ft

Lake Nokomis

Oneida County · 4.3 ft

Tug Lake

Lincoln County · 2 ft

Lake Alice

Lincoln County · 4.3 ft

Fuller Lake

Oneida County · 4.3 ft

Amik Lake

Vilas County · 2.8 ft

Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin

Spirit Lake Lake Esadore Killarney Lake Cranberry Lake

Where this data comes from

74 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_WQX74 samples · 2020–2026

Analytical methods

Phosphorus by Colorimetry

Monitoring station identifiers (1)

WIDNR_WQX-513079

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.