Best Lakes Near Wausau, WI
50 lakes within 50 miles of Wausau ranked by water quality grade.
Within reasonable driving distance of Wausau 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 A.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Bass Lake | 19 mi | Marathon | A | 13 ft | 3 |
| Glisezinski Lake | 22.2 mi | Portage | A | - | 3 |
| South Twin Lake | 24.6 mi | Portage | A | 9 ft | 1 |
| Unnamed Lake | 28.3 mi | Portage | A | - | 0 |
| Lake Susan | 28.6 mi | Portage | A | 24 ft | 0 |
| Unknown Lake | 29 mi | Shawano | A | - | 0 |
| Lake Helen | 30.2 mi | Portage | A | 20 ft | 3 |
| Lake Helen | 30.4 mi | Portage | A | 20 ft | 3 |
| Un Lake | 31.3 mi | Langlade | A | - | 0 |
| Horseshoe Lake | 31.9 mi | Langlade | A | 29 ft | 2 |
| Lower Clear Lake | 32.2 mi | Langlade | A | 21 ft | 2 |
| Indian Lake | 32.3 mi | Langlade | A | 21 ft | 2 |
| Bullhead Lake | 32.5 mi | Langlade | A | - | 0 |
| Deep Hole Lake | 32.7 mi | Langlade | A | 10 ft | 1 |
| Deep Hole Lake | 32.9 mi | Langlade | A | 22 ft | 2 |
| Bass Lake | 33.2 mi | Lincoln | A | 40 ft | 4 |
| Long Lake | 33.3 mi | Lincoln | A | 64 ft | 4 |
| Seven Island Lake | 33.3 mi | Lincoln | A | 31 ft | 5 |
| Sunset Lake | 33.5 mi | Portage | A | 55 ft | 3 |
| Clara Lake-Deep Hole | 33.8 mi | Lincoln | A | 50 ft | 2 |
| Springville Pond | 33.9 mi | Portage | A | - | 3 |
| Lake Buteau | 34.1 mi | Lincoln | A | 50 ft | 3 |
| Mary Lake | 34.2 mi | Lincoln | A | 42 ft | 1 |
| Kettle Lake | 34.2 mi | Langlade | A | - | 0 |
| Muellers Lake | 34.4 mi | Langlade | A | 34 ft | 4 |
| Greater Bass Lake | 34.7 mi | Langlade | A | 25 ft | 6 |
| Onland Lake | 34.9 mi | Portage | A | 28 ft | 3 |
| Rinehart Lake | 35.2 mi | Portage | A | - | 3 |
| Thomas Lake | 35.6 mi | Portage | A | 28 ft | 4 |
| Nutrient Sampling Point Lake | 36.1 mi | Waupaca | A | 33 ft | 4 |
| North Lake | 36.3 mi | Waupaca | A | 33 ft | 4 |
| Lake Emily | 36.7 mi | Portage | A | 35 ft | 5 |
| Jersey City Flowage Lake | 37.7 mi | Lincoln | A | - | 0 |
| Lawrence Lake | 37.8 mi | Langlade | A | 47 ft | 4 |
| Jersey Flowage Lake | 37.8 mi | Lincoln | A | 20 ft | 6 |
| Bear Lake | 38 mi | Portage | A | 28 ft | 2 |
| Adams Lake | 38.1 mi | Portage | A | 44 ft | 3 |
| Ebert Lake | 38.3 mi | Portage | A | - | 3 |
| Fischer Lake | 38.5 mi | Langlade | A | - | 2 |
| Brekke Lake | 38.5 mi | Waupaca | A | 25 ft | 4 |
| Hatch Lake | 38.9 mi | Waupaca | A | - | 3 |
| South Harper Lake | 39 mi | Taylor | A | 32 ft | 4 |
| Halfmoon Lake | 39.1 mi | Lincoln | A | 14 ft | 3 |
| Iola Lake | 39.3 mi | Waupaca | A | - | 3 |
| Lake Lime | 39.7 mi | Portage | A | 29 ft | 3 |
| Hilts Lake | 39.9 mi | Lincoln | A | 64 ft | 3 |
| Clear Lake | 40 mi | Lincoln | A | 45 ft | 4 |
| Deer Lake | 40.2 mi | Lincoln | A | - | 0 |
| Perch Lake | 40.5 mi | Langlade | A | - | 3 |
| Wazeecha Lake | 41.5 mi | Wood | A | 20 ft | 4 |
Lakes Near Other Cities
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lakes are near Wausau?
There are 50 graded lakes within 50 miles of Wausau, Wisconsin. 50 of these have an A water quality grade (excellent).
What are the best lakes near Wausau for fishing?
42 lakes near Wausau have documented fish species data. The best fishing lakes combine good water quality grades with diverse fish populations. 4 lakes within 50 miles have 5 or more documented fish species.
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.