Best Lakes Near Madison, WI
50 lakes within 50 miles of Madison ranked by water quality grade.
Within reasonable driving distance of Madison 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 B.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Lake | 28.7 mi | Rock | A | - | 0 |
| Rock River Lake | 32.4 mi | Rock | A | - | 0 |
| Buckhorn Lake | 38.2 mi | Sauk | A | - | 0 |
| Parker Lake | 49.9 mi | Adams | A | 36 ft | 3 |
| Rock Lake | 23.7 mi | Jefferson | A | 60 ft | 5 |
| Turtle Lake | 43.6 mi | Walworth | A | 30 ft | 3 |
| Golden Lake | 43.8 mi | Waukesha | A | 44 ft | 4 |
| Fowler Lake | 45.9 mi | Waukesha | A | 50 ft | 4 |
| Silver Lake | 46.1 mi | Waukesha | A | 40 ft | 3 |
| Pretty Lake | 46.4 mi | Waukesha | A | 31 ft | 3 |
| Green Lake | 46.7 mi | Walworth | A | 57 ft | 4 |
| Middle Lake | 47.1 mi | Walworth | A | 40 ft | 4 |
| Pleasant Lake | 47.2 mi | Walworth | A | 29 ft | 4 |
| Ashippun Lake | 47.3 mi | Waukesha | A | 35 ft | 4 |
| Ottawa Lake | 47.4 mi | Waukesha | A | 16 ft | 4 |
| Oconomowoc Lake | 47.5 mi | Waukesha | A | 60 ft | 5 |
| Jordan Lake | 47.9 mi | Adams | A | 92 ft | 5 |
| Okauchee Lake | 48.3 mi | Waukesha | A | 90 ft | 6 |
| Oconomowoc Lake Site | 48.6 mi | Waukesha | A | 60 ft | 5 |
| Lower Nemahbin Lake | 48.9 mi | Waukesha | A | 36 ft | 5 |
| Upper Nemahbin Lake | 49 mi | Waukesha | A | 60 ft | 5 |
| Okauchee Lake | 49.5 mi | Waukesha | A | 90 ft | 6 |
| Mill Lake | 47.3 mi | Walworth | B | 40 ft | 4 |
| Crooked Lake | 47.8 mi | Waukesha | B | 16 ft | 3 |
| Hunters Lake | 47.9 mi | Waukesha | B | 36 ft | 3 |
| Lower Nashotah Lake | 48.9 mi | Waukesha | B | 43 ft | 6 |
| Upper Nemahbin Lake | 49 mi | Waukesha | B | 60 ft | 5 |
| Crooked Lake | 49.2 mi | Adams | B | 56 ft | 3 |
| Lake Ripley | 21.2 mi | Jefferson | B | 44 ft | 4 |
| Silver Lake West Basin | 33.3 mi | Columbia | B | 42 ft | 5 |
| Silver Lake | 33.5 mi | Columbia | B | 42 ft | 5 |
| Cruson Slough Lake | 43.1 mi | Richland | B | - | 0 |
| Black Hawk Lake | 44.6 mi | Iowa | B | 42 ft | 4 |
| Lac la Belle Lake | 44.8 mi | Waukesha | B | 45 ft | 5 |
| Peters Lake | 48.3 mi | Walworth | B | 8 ft | 3 |
| Okauchee Lake Site | 49.1 mi | Waukesha | B | 90 ft | 6 |
| Fawn Lake | 49.4 mi | Adams | B | - | 0 |
| Ocauchee Lake | 49.4 mi | Waukesha | B | 90 ft | 6 |
| Okauchee Lake Deep Hole Usgs | 49.5 mi | Waukesha | B | 90 ft | 6 |
| Meister Addition West Pond | 9.9 mi | Dane | C | - | 0 |
| Salmo Pond | 15 mi | Dane | C | 15 ft | 3 |
| Hope Lake | 21.4 mi | Jefferson | C | 24 ft | 3 |
| Red Cedar Lake | 21.9 mi | Jefferson | C | 6 ft | 1 |
| Devils Lake | 28.9 mi | Sauk | C | 47 ft | 6 |
| Long Lake | 39.7 mi | Sauk | C | - | 0 |
| White Mound Lake | 39.9 mi | Sauk | C | 16 ft | 3 |
| Lake Lorraine | 41.1 mi | Walworth | C | 8 ft | 2 |
| Whitewater Lake | 41.6 mi | Walworth | C | 35 ft | 4 |
| Blue Spring Lake | 43.2 mi | Jefferson | C | 27 ft | 3 |
| School Section Lake | 45.8 mi | Waukesha | C | 8 ft | 3 |
Top-Rated Lakes Near Madison
Lakes Near Other Cities
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lakes are near Madison?
There are 50 graded lakes within 50 miles of Madison, Wisconsin. 22 of these have an A water quality grade (excellent).
What are the best lakes near Madison for fishing?
43 lakes near Madison have documented fish species data. The best fishing lakes combine good water quality grades with diverse fish populations. 17 lakes within 50 miles have 5 or more documented fish species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.