Bear Trap Lake
Bear Trap Lake is a 247-acre lake in Polk County, Wisconsin, up to 25 feet deep, with 174 waterfront parcels on its shore. Fish include musky, panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye. It has a public boat landing and public land or a park on the shore.
- Size: 247 acres
- Deepest point: 25 ft
- Average depth: 17 ft
- Bottom: 75% sand, 15% gravel, 10% muck
- Fish: Musky, Panfish, Largemouth bass, Northern pike, Walleye
- Public access: a public boat landing and public land or a park on the shore
- Boating: Full recreation: over 50 acres, so open to water-skiing and boating at speed under state law
- Local boating ordinances on record: slow-no-wake areas
- Drive time without traffic: Twin Cities 1 hr 5 min, Eau Claire 1 hr 25 min, Madison 4 hr 5 min, Green Bay 4 hr 15 min, Appleton 4 hr 20 min, Waukesha 4 hr 40 min, Milwaukee 4 hr 55 min, Rockford 4 hr 55 min, Chicago 5 hr 55 min
- Invasive species on record: Banded Mystery Snail, Chinese Mystery Snail, Curly-Leaf Pondweed, Zebra Mussel
- Waterfront parcels: 174 waterfront parcels
Questions about Bear Trap Lake
How many waterfront properties are on Bear Trap Lake?
174 waterfront parcels front Bear Trap Lake in Polk County. That counts parcels on the water from county parcel maps, not homes for sale.
How big is Bear Trap Lake?
Bear Trap Lake covers 247 acres in Polk County, Wisconsin.
How deep is Bear Trap Lake?
Bear Trap Lake is 25 feet deep at its deepest point, and 17 feet deep on average.
What fish are in Bear Trap Lake?
The Wisconsin DNR lists musky, panfish, largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye in Bear Trap Lake.
Is there public access to Bear Trap Lake?
Yes. Bear Trap Lake has a public boat landing and public land or a park on the shore.
Can you water-ski or run a boat at speed on Bear Trap Lake?
Bear Trap 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. Local ordinances on record include slow-no-wake areas; the ordinance itself says which part of the lake or the day each covers.
How long is the drive to Bear Trap Lake?
By car, Bear Trap Lake is about 1 hr 5 min from the Twin Cities, 1 hr 25 min from Eau Claire, 4 hr 5 min from Madison and 5 hr 55 min from Chicago. Those are typical times without traffic, to the nearest road at the lake.
What is the bottom of Bear Trap Lake like?
The lake bottom is 75% sand, 15% gravel, 10% muck, by the Wisconsin DNR's record.