Sunset Lake
Sunset Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 17.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 207 acres.
Wisconsin DNR rates Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass as abundant on Sunset Lake. DNR survey details →
- Clarity
- 17.3 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 30 ft
- Area
- 207 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
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Sunset Lake is a 207-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Compared to the 102 other monitored lakes in Vilas County, Sunset Lake ranks #40 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-06-29. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Crystal clear, you can see 17.3 ft down. Phosphorus level: 11.4 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 17.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11.4 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Sunset Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Sunset 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 Sunset Lake
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Wisconsin’s top lakes →
Water Temperature
Sunset Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 79°F) and coldest in Apr (about 45°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 20 field readings (2024–2026) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Sunset Lake water temperature breakdown →
Wisconsin DNR rates Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass as abundant on Sunset Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Sunset Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 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 1989. 1 station on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 207 acres |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Sunset Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 7 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.125 m/yr | 7 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +3.04 µg/L/yr | 5 |
EPA Impairment Status
Sunset Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit WI10026161 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.3 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #40 of 103 lakes in Vilas County
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Sunset Lake
Where is Sunset Lake?
- Sunset Lake is a lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Sunset Lake?
- Sunset Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 17.3 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 207 acres.
Is Sunset Lake safe to swim in?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Sunset Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Sunset Lake?
- Sunset Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 20 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2026). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Sunset Lake?
- Sunset Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 207 acres.
What fish are in Sunset Lake?
- Fish species found in Sunset Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Sunset Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Sunset Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR rates Largemouth Bass and Smallmouth Bass as abundant on Sunset Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Sunset Lake B from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Explore Sunset Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
71 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX71 samples · 2020–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated 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