Big Bear Lake
Big Bear Lake is a 179-acre lake in Burnett County, Wisconsin, up to 17 feet deep, with 54 waterfront parcels on its shore. Fish include panfish, largemouth bass and northern pike. The DNR lists no public boat landing.
- Size: 179 acres
- Deepest point: 17 ft
- Average depth: 7 ft
- Bottom: 95% sand, 5% muck
- Fish: Panfish, Largemouth bass, Northern pike
- 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 hours
- Drive time without traffic: Twin Cities 1 hr 55 min, Eau Claire 1 hr 55 min, Madison 4 hr 30 min, Green Bay 4 hr 35 min, Appleton 4 hr 40 min, Waukesha 5 hr 10 min, Milwaukee 5 hr 25 min, Rockford 5 hr 25 min, Chicago 6 hr 25 min
- Invasive species on record: Yellow Iris
- Waterfront parcels: 54 waterfront parcels
Questions about Big Bear Lake
How many waterfront properties are on Big Bear Lake?
54 waterfront parcels front Big Bear Lake in Burnett County. That counts parcels on the water from county parcel maps, not homes for sale.
How big is Big Bear Lake?
Big Bear Lake covers 179 acres in Burnett County, Wisconsin.
How deep is Big Bear Lake?
Big Bear Lake is 17 feet deep at its deepest point, and 7 feet deep on average.
What fish are in Big Bear Lake?
The Wisconsin DNR lists panfish, largemouth bass and northern pike in Big Bear Lake.
Is there public access to Big Bear Lake?
The Wisconsin DNR lists no public boat landing, beach or park on Big Bear Lake.
Can you water-ski or run a boat at speed on Big Bear Lake?
Big 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. Local ordinances on record include slow-no-wake hours; the ordinance itself says which part of the lake or the day each covers.
How long is the drive to Big Bear Lake?
By car, Big Bear Lake is about 1 hr 55 min from the Twin Cities, 1 hr 55 min from Eau Claire, 4 hr 30 min from Madison and 6 hr 25 min from Chicago. Those are typical times without traffic, to the nearest road at the lake.
What is the bottom of Big Bear Lake like?
The lake bottom is 95% sand, 5% muck, by the Wisconsin DNR's record.