Pioneer Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin429 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Pioneer Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Rusty Crayfish
- 27 ft max depth
- Public access
Pioneer Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 429 acres.
Pioneer Lake is a 429-acre mesotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 27 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 with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Pioneer Lake ranks #9 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2025-10-13. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Pioneer Lake covers about 430 acres in Vilas County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Pioneer Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Pioneer Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing5 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Pioneer 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 Pioneer Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Pioneer Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.5 ft. Phosphorus 15.2 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 15.2µg/L | Good 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. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Pioneer Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Pioneer Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (58°F) to its warmest (74°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 47 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pioneer Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pioneer Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (32,211 cells/mL) on May 23, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
Max depth
27 ft
Surface area
429 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
33 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
3.7 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,663 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pioneer 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 Pioneer Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pioneer 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 Pioneer 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 Pioneer Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pioneer 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: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.9 µg/L/yr3 years
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Pioneer Lake
Where is Pioneer Lake?
- Pioneer 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 Pioneer Lake?
- Pioneer Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 15.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 27 ft. Surface area: 429 acres.
Is Pioneer Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Pioneer Lake?
- Pioneer Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in October, from 47 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pioneer Lake?
- Pioneer Lake has a maximum depth of 27 feet. The lake covers 429 acres.
What fish are in Pioneer Lake?
- Fish species found in Pioneer Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Pioneer Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
Does Pioneer Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pioneer Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (32,211 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Wisconsin's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Pioneer Lake?
- Pioneer Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pioneer Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Pioneer Lake?
- Pioneer Lake has 1 documented boat landing 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 Pioneer Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
127 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX127 samples · 2020–2025
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
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