Safest Lakes to Swim Near Milwaukee
Wisconsin
30 lakes within driving distance of Milwaukee, Wisconsin pass our swim-safety screen — grade A/B water, low algae, and public access. 1 have direct bacteria (E. coli) testing on record. 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.
Within reasonable driving distance of Milwaukee 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 swimming, the nearby-lake list narrows further. swimming-specific signals — fish species, public access, depth profile, motor-boat congestion — interact with the LakeGrade rubric in different ways depending on the use case.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Swim Safety | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Muskego Lake | Waukesha | A | Limited data | 14.8 mi | 15.5 ft | 65 ft |
| 2 | Amy Bell Lake | Washington | A | Limited data | 18.8 mi | - | 37 ft |
| 3 | Moldenhauer Lake | Ozaukee | A | Limited data | 21.1 mi | - | 32 ft |
| 4 | Pine Lake | Waukesha | A | Low algae | 24.8 mi | 25 ft | 85 ft |
| 5 | Spring Lake | Waukesha | A | Limited data | 24.9 mi | - | 22 ft |
| 6 | Moose Lake | Waukesha | A | Limited data | 25.8 mi | 16 ft | - |
| 7 | Unnamed Lake | Ozaukee | A | Limited data | 26.3 mi | - | - |
| 8 | Lake Five | Washington | A | Low algae | 21.4 mi | 12 ft | 23 ft |
| 9 | Lower Nemahbin Lake | Waukesha | A | Low algae | 26.6 mi | 10.9 ft | 36 ft |
| 10 | Upper Nemahbin Lake | Waukesha | A | Low algae | 26.6 mi | 12 ft | 60 ft |
| 11 | Okauchee Lake | Waukesha | A | Low algae | 26.7 mi | 11.3 ft | 90 ft |
| 12 | Oconomowoc Lake Site | Waukesha | A | Low algae | 27.3 mi | 13 ft | 60 ft |
| 13 | Okauchee Lake | Waukesha | A | Low algae | 27.7 mi | 12 ft | 90 ft |
| 14 | Oconomowoc Lake | Waukesha | A | Low algae | 28.2 mi | 13 ft | 60 ft |
| 15 | Lake Beulah | Walworth | A | Low algae | 28.4 mi | 10 ft | 58 ft |
| 16 | Little Cedar Lake | Washington | A | Low algae | 28.5 mi | 10.5 ft | - |
| 17 | Big Cedar Lake-South Site-Near West Bend | Washington | A | Low algae | 29.3 mi | 12.6 ft | 105 ft |
| 18 | Silver Lake | Waukesha | A | Low algae | 29.5 mi | 10 ft | 40 ft |
| 19 | Ashippun Lake | Waukesha | A | Low algae | 29.6 mi | 10 ft | 35 ft |
| 20 | Lake Beulah | Walworth | A | Low algae | 29.7 mi | 11 ft | 58 ft |
| 21 | Ottawa Lake | Waukesha | A | Bacteria C | 29.9 mi | 13 ft | 16 ft |
| 22 | Pewaukee Lake | Waukesha | B | Low algae | 19.5 mi | 7.5 ft | 45 ft |
| 23 | Lake Keesus | Waukesha | B | Low algae | 22.7 mi | 9.2 ft | 42 ft |
| 24 | Nagawicka Lake | Waukesha | B | Low algae | 24.4 mi | 9.5 ft | 90 ft |
| 25 | North Lake | Waukesha | B | Low algae | 25.3 mi | 8 ft | 78.4 ft |
| 26 | Lower Phantom Lake | Waukesha | B | Low algae | 25.3 mi | 6.7 ft | 12 ft |
| 27 | Upper Nemahbin Lake | Waukesha | B | Limited data | 26.5 mi | 12 ft | 60 ft |
| 28 | Lower Nashotah Lake | Waukesha | B | Low algae | 26.7 mi | 9 ft | 43 ft |
| 29 | Crooked Lake | Waukesha | B | Low algae | 27.7 mi | 8 ft | 16 ft |
| 30 | Hunters Lake | Waukesha | B | Low algae | 28 mi | 9.5 ft | 36 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.