Best Lakes Near Appleton, WI
50 lakes within 50 miles of Appleton ranked by water quality grade.
Within reasonable driving distance of Appleton sit 50 graded lakes — a lake-dense area that gives residents real choice on any given weekend. The average grade across the nearby set is A.
The lakes below are sorted by composite LakeGrade rubric score. If you have a specific activity in mind — swimming, kayaking, ice-fishing, family-fishing — the activity-specific sub-pages will filter further.
| Lake | Distance | County | Grade | Depth | Fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oneida Lake | 17.7 mi | Outagamie | A | - | 0 |
| Bear Lake | 28 mi | Waupaca | A | 62 ft | 3 |
| Lily Lake | 30 mi | Brown | A | 19 ft | 3 |
| Wilke Lake | 30.3 mi | Manitowoc | A | 21 ft | 5 |
| Pine Lake | 31.9 mi | Shawano | A | 35 ft | 5 |
| Grass Lake | 32.2 mi | Shawano | A | 52 ft | 6 |
| Round Lake | 32.4 mi | Shawano | A | 39 ft | 5 |
| Spring Lake | 32.7 mi | Manitowoc | A | 23 ft | 4 |
| Pigeon Lake | 33 mi | Manitowoc | A | 62 ft | 4 |
| Cedar Lake | 33.3 mi | Manitowoc | A | - | 0 |
| Mirror Lake | 33.6 mi | Waupaca | A | 43 ft | 4 |
| Shadow Lake | 33.7 mi | Waupaca | A | 41 ft | 4 |
| Tuma Lake | 33.7 mi | Manitowoc | A | 36 ft | 3 |
| Spencer Lake | 34.1 mi | Waupaca | A | 53 ft | 5 |
| Old Taylor Lake | 35 mi | Waupaca | A | 17 ft | 1 |
| Long Lake | 35.2 mi | Waushara | A | 71 ft | 4 |
| Sheas Lake | 35.3 mi | Kewaunee | A | 24 ft | 3 |
| Elkhart Lake | 35.9 mi | Sheboygan | A | 119 ft | 7 |
| Bass Lake | 36.2 mi | Waupaca | A | - | 0 |
| Taylor Lake | 36.3 mi | Waupaca | A | 58 ft | 6 |
| Otter Lake | 36.4 mi | Waupaca | A | 40 ft | 4 |
| De Neveu Lake | 36.7 mi | Fond du Lac | A | 67 ft | 4 |
| Pearl Lake | 36.8 mi | Waushara | A | 45 ft | 3 |
| Pine Lake | 36.9 mi | Waushara | A | 48 ft | 3 |
| Mccrossen Lake | 37.1 mi | Waupaca | A | 75 ft | 7 |
| Crystal Lake | 37.4 mi | Sheboygan | A | - | 0 |
| Round Lake | 37.5 mi | Waupaca | A | 67 ft | 8 |
| Gilbert Lake | 37.5 mi | Waushara | A | 65 ft | 5 |
| Round Lake | 37.6 mi | Waushara | A | - | 4 |
| Kusel Lake | 37.7 mi | Waushara | A | 29 ft | 4 |
| Columbia Lake | 37.8 mi | Waupaca | A | 72 ft | 7 |
| Big Hills Lake | 37.9 mi | Waushara | A | - | 0 |
| Stratton Lake | 38 mi | Waupaca | A | 42 ft | 4 |
| Long Lake | 38.1 mi | Waupaca | A | 76 ft | 7 |
| Beasley Lake | 38.2 mi | Waupaca | A | 47 ft | 6 |
| Pensaukee Lake | 38.2 mi | Shawano | A | 49 ft | 4 |
| Little Elkhart Lake | 38.3 mi | Sheboygan | A | 25 ft | 3 |
| Silver Lake | 38.4 mi | Waupaca | A | 17 ft | 4 |
| Marl Lake | 38.6 mi | Waupaca | A | 59 ft | 5 |
| Pope Lake | 38.8 mi | Waupaca | A | 40 ft | 5 |
| Korth Lake | 39.1 mi | Shawano | A | 48 ft | 4 |
| Hatch Lake | 39.2 mi | Waupaca | A | - | 3 |
| Bahr Lake | 39.3 mi | Shawano | A | 44 ft | 4 |
| Iola Lake | 39.3 mi | Waupaca | A | - | 3 |
| Silver Lake | 39.7 mi | Waushara | A | 56 ft | 4 |
| Lulu Lake | 40.1 mi | Shawano | A | 13 ft | 3 |
| Lake Morris | 40.4 mi | Waushara | A | 40 ft | 3 |
| Spring Lake | 41 mi | Waushara | A | 37 ft | 4 |
| Grenlie Lake | 41 mi | Waupaca | A | 40 ft | 2 |
| North Lake | 41.3 mi | Waupaca | A | 33 ft | 4 |
Lakes Near Other Cities
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lakes are near Appleton?
There are 50 graded lakes within 50 miles of Appleton, Wisconsin. 50 of these have an A water quality grade (excellent).
What are the best lakes near Appleton for fishing?
45 lakes near Appleton have documented fish species data. The best fishing lakes combine good water quality grades with diverse fish populations. 15 lakes within 50 miles have 5 or more documented fish species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.