Bear Lake
Bear Lake is a 76-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin, up to 33 feet deep, with 10 waterfront parcels on its shore. Fish include musky, panfish, smallmouth bass and walleye. The DNR lists no public boat landing.
- Size: 76 acres
- Deepest point: 33 ft
- Bottom: 70% sand, 20% gravel, 10% rock
- Fish: Musky, Panfish, Smallmouth bass, Walleye
- Boating: Full recreation: over 50 acres, so open to water-skiing and boating at speed under state law
- Drive time without traffic: Green Bay 3 hr 25 min, Eau Claire 3 hr 25 min, Appleton 3 hr 30 min, Madison 4 hr 5 min, Twin Cities 4 hr 30 min, Milwaukee 4 hr 45 min, Waukesha 4 hr 45 min, Rockford 5 hr, Chicago 6 hr
- Waterfront parcels: 10 waterfront parcels
Questions about Bear Lake
How many waterfront properties are on Bear Lake?
10 waterfront parcels front Bear Lake in Vilas County. That counts parcels on the water from county parcel maps, not homes for sale.
How big is Bear Lake?
Bear Lake covers 76 acres in Vilas County, Wisconsin.
How deep is Bear Lake?
Bear Lake is 33 feet deep at its deepest point.
What fish are in Bear Lake?
The Wisconsin DNR lists musky, panfish, smallmouth bass and walleye in Bear Lake.
Is there public access to Bear Lake?
The Wisconsin DNR lists no public boat landing, beach or park on Bear Lake.
Can you water-ski or run a boat at speed on Bear Lake?
Bear Lake is over 50 acres, so Wisconsin's slow-no-wake rule for small lakes does not apply and boats may run at speed, staying slow within 100 feet of shore, docks and swimmers. No local boating ordinance that limits motorboats is on record.
How long is the drive to Bear Lake?
By car, Bear Lake is about 3 hr 25 min from Green Bay, 3 hr 25 min from Eau Claire, 3 hr 30 min from Appleton, 4 hr 30 min from the Twin Cities and 6 hr from Chicago. Those are typical times without traffic, to the nearest road at the lake.
What is the bottom of Bear Lake like?
The lake bottom is 70% sand, 20% gravel, 10% rock, by the Wisconsin DNR's record.