North Twin Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin2,871 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for North Twin Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Rusty Crayfish
- 60 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
North Twin Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 2871 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on North Twin Lake. DNR survey details →
North Twin Lake is a 2,871-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 60 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-08-31. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
North Twin Lake covers about 2,900 acres in Vilas County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near North Twin Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What North Twin Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water14 ft of visibility
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Deep water60 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water2,871 acres
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether North Twin 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.
Water quality measurements for North Twin Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for North Twin Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 14 ft. TSI 39.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 14ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| 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. | 39 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about North Twin Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for North Twin Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was low (8,551 cells/mL) on June 27, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on North Twin Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows North Twin Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. 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 1993. 15 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
60 ft
Surface area
2,871 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
27 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
14 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,677 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- North Twin Lake - Millerville LanePublic
- North Twin Lake - Lakota RoadPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near North Twin Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near North Twin 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 North Twin Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at North Twin Lake → · more Wisconsin lake trips
Follow North Twin Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing North Twin 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of North Twin Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits. 1 facility has a reported Clean Water Act violation in the past three years.
- Phelps Sanitary District #1Phelps · 2.4 mi away · NPDES WI0029050Recent violation
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about North Twin Lake
Where is North Twin Lake?
- North Twin 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 North Twin Lake?
- North Twin Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 14 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 60 ft. Surface area: 2871 acres.
Is North Twin Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is North Twin Lake?
- North Twin Lake has a maximum depth of 60 feet. The lake covers 2871 acres.
What fish are in North Twin Lake?
- Fish species found in North Twin Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye. North Twin Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at North Twin Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on North Twin Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows North Twin Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Does North Twin Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for North Twin Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was low (8,551 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on North Twin Lake?
- North Twin Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include North Twin Lake - Millerville Lane, North Twin Lake - Lakota Road. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at North Twin Lake?
- North Twin 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 North Twin Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
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Where this data comes from
52 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX52 samples · 2020–2025
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
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
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
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