Best Lakes for Swimming Near Wisconsin Dells
Wisconsin
20 swimming lakes within driving distance of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, ranked by water quality and swimming-specific filters. 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.
Wisconsin Dells sits in a lake-rich part of the upper Midwest: 20 graded lakes within reach, average grade B. Buckhorn Lake (A) leads the cluster.
The swimming-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 swimming use case is less useful than a grade-decent lake that does.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buckhorn Lake | Sauk | A | 7.1 mi | - | - |
| 2 | Parker Lake | Adams | A | 12.2 mi | 17 ft | - |
| 3 | Deep Lake | Adams | A | 12.3 mi | 15.5 ft | - |
| 4 | Wolf Lake | Adams | A | 13.8 mi | 15 ft | - |
| 5 | Dutch Hollow Lake | Sauk | A | 21 mi | 15 ft | - |
| 6 | White Lake | Marquette | A | 28.6 mi | 17 ft | - |
| 7 | Jordan Lake | Adams | A | 10 mi | 13 ft | - |
| 8 | Fenner Lake | Marquette | A | 18.5 mi | 12 ft | - |
| 9 | Pleasant Lake | Waushara | A | 27 mi | 11.5 ft | - |
| 10 | Wood Lake | Marquette | A | 27.5 mi | 14 ft | - |
| 11 | Crooked Lake | Adams | B | 12.7 mi | 9 ft | - |
| 12 | Goose Lake | Adams | B | 13.5 mi | 8 ft | - |
| 13 | Big Roche A Cri Lake | Adams | B | 29.7 mi | 10 ft | - |
| 14 | Fawn Lake | Adams | B | 6.8 mi | 9.5 ft | - |
| 15 | Peppermill Lake | Adams | B | 12.6 mi | 7.5 ft | - |
| 16 | Silver Lake West Basin | Columbia | B | 15.7 mi | 8.8 ft | - |
| 17 | Silver Lake | Columbia | B | 15.8 mi | 10 ft | - |
| 18 | Patrick Lake | Adams | B | 18.7 mi | 5 ft | - |
| 19 | Lawrence Lake | Marquette | B | 20.8 mi | 6.7 ft | - |
| 20 | East Twin Lake | Marquette | B | 21.5 mi | 3.3 ft | - |
Other activities near Wisconsin Dells
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.