Best Lakes for Swimming Near Appleton
Wisconsin
2 swimming lakes within driving distance of Appleton, Wisconsin, ranked by water quality and swimming-specific filters. Filtered for grade A or B water quality, low algae (chlorophyll-a under 15 µg/L), and public access. Always check local advisories on the day you swim.
Appleton is not lake-dense — only 2 graded lakes are within easy reach. The cleanest of those is Oneida Lake (A).
The swimming-specific ranking layered on top of the LakeGrade rubric is what produces the list below: a grade-good lake that does not also support the swimming use case is less useful than a grade-decent lake that does.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oneida Lake | Outagamie | A | 17.7 mi | - | - |
| 2 | Bear Lake | Waupaca | A | 28 mi | 11 ft | - |
Other activities near Appleton
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.