Yellow Birch Lake
Vilas County, Wisconsin192 acresView mapDirections
Wisconsin DNR publishes the water-quality measurements for Yellow Birch Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 23 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Yellow Birch Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 192 acres.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Yellow Birch Lake. DNR survey details →
Yellow Birch Lake is a 192-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin with a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake supports 6 documented fish species including Musky, Panfish, and Largemouth Bass. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Wisconsin DNR Surface Water, last sampled 2026-07-02. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Yellow Birch Lake covers about 190 acres in Vilas County. It has one public boat landing. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Yellow Birch Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Yellow Birch Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing6 species recorded
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Yellow Birch 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 Yellow Birch Lake
These are the measurements Wisconsin DNR publishes for Yellow Birch 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 4.4 ft. TSI 56.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.4ft | 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. | 56 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Yellow Birch Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Yellow Birch Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Yellow Birch Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. 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. 12 stations on file (most recent sample 2025).
Fish Species (DNR-rated)
Lake Details
Max depth
23 ft
Surface area
192 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by Wisconsin DNR
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
254 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Shoreline
4.8 mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,614 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Yellow Birch 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 Yellow Birch Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Yellow Birch 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 Yellow Birch 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 Yellow Birch Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Yellow Birch Lake
- → Yellow Birch Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Yellow Birch Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Yellow Birch Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Yellow Birch Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
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: Stable
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2020–2026).
Water clarity
Stable7 years
Nearby Lakes in Vilas County
Frequently asked questions about Yellow Birch Lake
Where is Yellow Birch Lake?
- Yellow Birch 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 Yellow Birch Lake?
- Yellow Birch Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin has water-quality measurements published by Wisconsin DNR, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.4 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 23 ft. Surface area: 192 acres.
Is Yellow Birch Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Yellow Birch Lake?
- Yellow Birch Lake has a maximum depth of 23 feet. The lake covers 192 acres.
What fish are in Yellow Birch Lake?
- Fish species found in Yellow Birch Lake include Musky, Panfish, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Walleye. Yellow Birch Lake is located in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Yellow Birch Lake?
- Wisconsin DNR lists Musky as common on Yellow Birch Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Yellow Birch Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 7 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Yellow Birch Lake?
- Yellow Birch Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Yellow Birch Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Yellow Birch Lake?
- Yellow Birch 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 Yellow Birch Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Wisconsin
Fish species and best lakes in Vilas County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Northwoods Wisconsin area
Where to stay at Wisconsin's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Wisconsin River Watershed, ranked by water quality
Wisconsin's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Wisconsin
Other Lakes in Wisconsin
Eutrophic Lakes in Wisconsin
Where this data comes from
63 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_WQX63 samples · 2020–2026
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