Pine Lake
Forest County, Wisconsin1,673 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Pine Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Cause unknown
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 15 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Pine Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 1673 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Pine Lake. DNR survey details →
Pine Lake is a 1,673-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Forest County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 15 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Panfish, Largemouth Bass, and Smallmouth Bass. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 22 other monitored lakes in Forest County, Pine Lake ranks #20 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-01. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Pine Lake covers about 1,700 acres in Forest County. It has 2 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Pine Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Pine Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch2 documented ramps
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Big water1,673 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation 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. Pine Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Pine 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 Pine Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Pine 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 4.8 ft. Phosphorus 31.8 µg/L. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 31.8µg/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 Pine Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Pine Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pine Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 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. 3 stations on file (most recent sample 2020).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
15 ft
Surface area
1,673 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
20 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
7.2 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,627 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pine Lake - Coe's Rd.Public
- Pine Lake - Nicolet ForestPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Pine Lake
- Pine Lake Campground (Hiles, WI)1.2 kmReserve
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Pine Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pine Lake in Forest 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 Pine Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 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 Pine Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pine 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 readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2020–2026). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.88 µg/L/yr2 years
EPA Impairment Status
Pine Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Recreation.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10006989 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Forest County
Frequently asked questions about Pine Lake
Where is Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake is a lake in Forest County, Wisconsin. Its water-quality measurements are published by Wisconsin DNR and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake in Forest County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 31.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 15 ft. Surface area: 1673 acres.
Is Pine Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Pine Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for cause unknown. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake has a maximum depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 1673 acres.
What fish are in Pine Lake?
- Fish species found in Pine Lake include Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Pine Lake is located in Forest County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Pine Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Panfish as abundant on Pine Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Pine Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pine Lake - Coe's Rd., Pine Lake - Nicolet Forest. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Pine Lake?
- Pine 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.
Are there campgrounds on Pine Lake?
- Pine Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Pine Lake Campground (Hiles, WI). This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Pine Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Forest 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
Lakes in the Wolf River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Compare Pine Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
9 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 Resources
WIDNR_WQX9 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles