Best Lakes for Boating Near Oshkosh
Wisconsin
12 boating lakes within driving distance of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, ranked by water quality and boating-specific filters. Filtered for at least 100 acres and public access. The largest lakes with boat-worthy water are listed first.
A moderate cluster of 12 graded lakes lies within reach of Oshkosh, averaging a grade of D. Iola Lake (A) is the cleanest of the set.
The boating-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 boating use case is less useful than a grade-decent lake that does.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iola Lake | Waupaca | A | 44.6 mi | 10 ft | - |
| 2 | Green Lake | Green Lake | B | 24.4 mi | - | - |
| 3 | Long Lake | Fond du Lac | B | 30.6 mi | 9.1 ft | - |
| 4 | City Millpond | Green Lake | C | 24.4 mi | - | - |
| 5 | Lake Montello | Marquette | D | 42.4 mi | 6.1 ft | - |
| 6 | Park Lake | Columbia | D | 49.4 mi | - | - |
| 7 | Pigeon Lake | Waupaca | D | 43.1 mi | 2.4 ft | - |
| 8 | Lazy Lake | Columbia | D | 49.9 mi | 4 ft | - |
| 9 | Little Lake Butte des Morts | Winnebago | F | 13.9 mi | 2 ft | - |
| 10 | Fox Lake | Dodge | F | 36.1 mi | 1.7 ft | - |
| 11 | Beaver Dam Lake | Dodge | F | 40.2 mi | 1 ft | - |
| 12 | Buffalo Lake | Marquette | F | 45.3 mi | 2.5 ft | - |
Other activities near Oshkosh
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.