Best Lakes for Kayaking Near Appleton
Wisconsin
30 kayaking lakes within driving distance of Appleton, Wisconsin, ranked by water quality and kayaking-specific filters. Filtered for grade A, B, or C water quality, public access, and ideal paddling size (30-3,000 acres).
Within reasonable driving distance of Appleton sit 30 graded lakes — a lake-dense area that gives residents real choice on any given weekend. The average grade across the nearby set is B.
Filtered for kayaking, the nearby-lake list narrows further. kayaking-specific signals — fish species, public access, depth profile, motor-boat congestion — interact with the letter grade in different ways depending on the use case.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | White Lake | Waupaca | B | 26.4 mi | 5.6 ft | 10 ft |
| 2 | Bear Lake | Waupaca | B | 28 mi | 11 ft | 62 ft |
| 3 | Wolf Lake | Fond du Lac | B | 29.4 mi | 5 ft | 47 ft |
| 4 | Wilke Lake | Manitowoc | B | 30.3 mi | 7 ft | 21 ft |
| 5 | Rush Lake | Winnebago | B | 31 mi | 3.2 ft | 5 ft |
| 6 | Pine Lake | Shawano | B | 31.9 mi | 10.5 ft | 35 ft |
| 7 | Long Lake | Shawano | B | 32.1 mi | 6 ft | 35 ft |
| 8 | Grass Lake | Shawano | B | 32.2 mi | 8.5 ft | 52 ft |
| 9 | School Section Lake | Waupaca | B | 32.2 mi | 6.5 ft | 38 ft |
| 10 | Pigeon Lake | Manitowoc | B | 33 mi | 9.3 ft | 62 ft |
| 11 | Cedar Lake | Manitowoc | B | 33.2 mi | 10.2 ft | 21 ft |
| 12 | Shadow Lake | Waupaca | B | 33.7 mi | 12 ft | 41 ft |
| 13 | Spencer Lake | Waupaca | B | 34.1 mi | 8.5 ft | 53 ft |
| 14 | English Lake | Manitowoc | B | 34.6 mi | 7.5 ft | 85 ft |
| 15 | Long Lake | Waushara | B | 35 mi | 14.5 ft | 71 ft |
| 16 | Elkhart Lake | Sheboygan | B | 35.9 mi | 10.5 ft | 119 ft |
| 17 | Taylor Lake | Waupaca | B | 36.3 mi | 10 ft | 58 ft |
| 18 | De Neveu Lake | Fond du Lac | B | 36.7 mi | 11 ft | 67 ft |
| 19 | Pearl Lake | Waushara | B | 36.8 mi | 19 ft | 45 ft |
| 20 | Hartlaub Lake | Manitowoc | B | 36.9 mi | 5 ft | 60 ft |
| 21 | Gilbert Lake | Waushara | B | 37.5 mi | 12 ft | 65 ft |
| 22 | Kusel Lake | Waushara | B | 37.7 mi | 11.5 ft | 29 ft |
| 23 | Columbia Lake | Waupaca | B | 37.8 mi | 11 ft | 72 ft |
| 24 | Stratton Lake | Waupaca | B | 38 mi | 13 ft | 42 ft |
| 25 | Long Lake | Waupaca | B | 38.1 mi | 13 ft | 76 ft |
| 26 | Wilson Lake | Waushara | B | 38.2 mi | 6.2 ft | 12 ft |
| 27 | Little Elkhart Lake | Sheboygan | B | 38.3 mi | 10 ft | 25 ft |
| 28 | Silver Lake | Waupaca | B | 38.4 mi | 7 ft | 17 ft |
| 29 | Hatch Lake | Waupaca | B | 39.2 mi | 8.4 ft | 12 ft |
| 30 | Iola Lake | Waupaca | B | 39.3 mi | 10 ft | 9 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.