Best Lakes for Kayaking Near Oshkosh
Wisconsin
30 kayaking lakes within driving distance of Oshkosh, Wisconsin, ranked by water quality and kayaking-specific filters. Filtered for grade A, B, or C water quality, public access, and ideal paddling size (30-3,000 acres).
Within reasonable driving distance of Oshkosh 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 kayaking, the nearby-lake list narrows further. kayaking-specific signals — fish species, public access, depth profile, motor-boat congestion — interact with the letter grade in different ways depending on the use case.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rush Lake | Winnebago | B | 15.3 mi | 3.2 ft | 5 ft |
| 2 | Wolf Lake | Fond du Lac | B | 20 mi | 5 ft | 47 ft |
| 3 | De Neveu Lake | Fond du Lac | B | 21.6 mi | 11 ft | 67 ft |
| 4 | Pearl Lake | Waushara | B | 28.9 mi | 19 ft | 45 ft |
| 5 | Wilke Lake | Manitowoc | B | 29.2 mi | 7 ft | 21 ft |
| 6 | Elkhart Lake | Sheboygan | B | 29.2 mi | 10.5 ft | 119 ft |
| 7 | White Lake | Waupaca | B | 30.3 mi | 5.6 ft | 10 ft |
| 8 | Long Lake | Fond du Lac | B | 30.6 mi | 9.1 ft | 47 ft |
| 9 | Kettle Moraine Lake | Fond du Lac | B | 30.6 mi | 11 ft | 30 ft |
| 10 | Cedar Lake | Manitowoc | B | 30.9 mi | 10.2 ft | 21 ft |
| 11 | Long Lake | Waushara | B | 31.6 mi | 14.5 ft | 71 ft |
| 12 | Little Elkhart Lake | Sheboygan | B | 32 mi | 10 ft | 25 ft |
| 13 | Alpine Lake | Waushara | B | 32.3 mi | - | 18 ft |
| 14 | Kusel Lake | Waushara | B | 32.6 mi | 11.5 ft | 29 ft |
| 15 | Little Hills Lake | Waushara | B | 33.1 mi | 14 ft | 20 ft |
| 16 | Wilson Lake | Waushara | B | 33.1 mi | 6.2 ft | 12 ft |
| 17 | Spencer Lake | Waupaca | B | 33.3 mi | 8.5 ft | 53 ft |
| 18 | Bear Lake | Waupaca | B | 33.3 mi | 11 ft | 62 ft |
| 19 | Pigeon Lake | Manitowoc | B | 33.4 mi | 9.3 ft | 62 ft |
| 20 | Lake Morris | Waushara | B | 33.6 mi | 11 ft | 40 ft |
| 21 | Gilbert Lake | Waushara | B | 33.7 mi | 12 ft | 65 ft |
| 22 | Auburn Lake | Fond du Lac | B | 33.8 mi | 7.6 ft | 29 ft |
| 23 | Silver Lake | Waushara | B | 34 mi | 14.8 ft | 56 ft |
| 24 | Porters Lake | Waushara | B | 34.2 mi | 11.3 ft | 16 ft |
| 25 | Forest Lake | Fond du Lac | B | 34.3 mi | 14 ft | 32 ft |
| 26 | Silver Lake | Waushara | B | 34.5 mi | 10.2 ft | 50 ft |
| 27 | Shadow Lake | Waupaca | B | 34.9 mi | 12 ft | 41 ft |
| 28 | White River Flowage Lake | Waushara | B | 35.4 mi | 9.3 ft | 20 ft |
| 29 | Stratton Lake | Waupaca | B | 36.7 mi | 13 ft | 42 ft |
| 30 | Taylor Lake | Waupaca | B | 36.9 mi | 10 ft | 58 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.