Is it safe to swim in lakes near Hayward?

That is a call for Wisconsin's water agency and the county health department, who post current advisories. 13 lakes within driving distance of Hayward pass the low-algae screen (favourable clarity and nutrient readings, chlorophyll-a under 15 µg/L, public access). The top pick on those readings is Christner Lake in Sawyer County, 5.6 miles away. Bacteria can spike after heavy rain, so always check the current advisories before you swim.

Which lakes near Hayward have bacteria testing?

None of the lakes near Hayward have enough recent bacteria samples on record, so these lakes are screened on water clarity and algae (chlorophyll-a) instead. Always check posted advisories before swimming.

What is the cleanest swimming lake near Hayward?

Christner Lake (Sawyer County) is the cleanest swim lake near Hayward on measured clarity and nutrients, with 12 ft of water clarity.

Swimming Lakes Near Hayward, WI: Clarity, Algae and Bacteria Readings (2026)

13 lakes within driving distance of Hayward, Wisconsin pass the low-algae screen — favourable clarity and nutrient readings, low algae, and public access. 0 have direct bacteria (E. coli) testing on record. Filtered for the clearest, lowest-nutrient readings in the sampling record, low algae (chlorophyll-a under 15 µg/L), and public access. Not a swimming clearance: always check local advisories on the day you swim.

A moderate cluster of 13 measured lakes lies within reach of Hayward. Christner Lake has the lowest nutrient and algae readings of the set.

Filtered for swimming, the nearby-lake list narrows further. swimming-specific signals, fish species, public access, depth profile, motor-boat congestion, interact with the water-quality readings in different ways depending on the use case.

#	Lake	County	Bacteria	Distance	Clarity	Depth
1	Christner Lake	Sawyer	Low algae	5.6 mi	12 ft	16 ft
2	Grindstone Lake	Sawyer	Low algae	6.6 mi	17.4 ft	60 ft
3	Durphee Lake	Sawyer	Low algae	7.6 mi	8.1 ft	-
4	Round Lake	Sawyer	Low algae	7.9 mi	21.1 ft	74 ft
5	Little Round Lake	Sawyer	Low algae	8.2 mi	17.3 ft	38 ft
6	Lac Courte Oreilles Lake	Sawyer	Low algae	8.4 mi	12.2 ft	90 ft
7	Indian Lake	Sawyer	Low algae	9.1 mi	6.5 ft	9 ft
8	Osprey Lake	Sawyer	Low algae	9.3 mi	16 ft	32 ft
9	Whitefish Lake	Sawyer	Low algae	10.6 mi	13.5 ft	105 ft
10	Sand Lake	Sawyer	Low algae	11.3 mi	10 ft	50 ft
11	Lost Lake	Sawyer	Low algae	11.3 mi	10.6 ft	13 ft
12	Ashegon Lake	Sawyer	Low algae	14.3 mi	10.5 ft	56 ft
13	Blueberry Lake	Sawyer	Low algae	14.5 mi	14.8 ft	29 ft

Other activities near Hayward

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Where to stay near Hayward

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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.