Best Lakes for Boating Near Wausau
Wisconsin
13 boating lakes within driving distance of Wausau, 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 13 graded lakes lies within reach of Wausau, averaging a grade of D. Iola Lake (A) is the cleanest of the set.
Filtered for boating, the nearby-lake list narrows further. boating-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 | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iola Lake | Waupaca | A | 39.3 mi | 10 ft | - |
| 2 | Nepco Lake | Wood | A | 43.9 mi | 11 ft | - |
| 3 | Wazeecha Lake | Wood | B | 41.5 mi | 7 ft | - |
| 4 | Hancock Lake | Oneida | C | 45.7 mi | 5.4 ft | - |
| 5 | Alexander Lake | Lincoln | C | 17 mi | 4 ft | - |
| 6 | Mcdill Pond | Portage | C | 32.2 mi | 5 ft | - |
| 7 | Spirit River Flowage Lake | Lincoln | D | 33.8 mi | 3 ft | - |
| 8 | Hat Rapids Flowage Lake | Oneida | D | 43 mi | 3.5 ft | - |
| 9 | Rhinelander Flowage Lake | Oneida | D | 48.7 mi | 4 ft | - |
| 10 | Lake Dubay | Marathon | D | 18 mi | 2.5 ft | - |
| 11 | Pigeon Lake | Waupaca | D | 47.9 mi | 2.4 ft | - |
| 12 | Killarney Lake | Oneida | F | 44.7 mi | 1.7 ft | - |
| 13 | Dexter Lake | Wood | F | 46.6 mi | 1.5 ft | - |
Other activities near Wausau
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.