Wisconsin Lake Finder

Horseshoe Lake

Horseshoe Lake is a 398-acre lake in Polk and Barron counties, Wisconsin, up to 57 feet deep, with 256 waterfront parcels on its shore. Fish include largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye. It has a public boat landing.

• Size: 398 acres
• Deepest point: 57 ft
• Average depth: 20 ft
• Bottom: 60% muck, 40% sand
• Fish: Largemouth bass, Northern pike, Walleye
• Public access: a public boat landing
• Boating: Full recreation: over 50 acres, so open to water-skiing and boating at speed under state law
• Local boating ordinances on record: water-skiing rules and slow-no-wake areas
• Drive time without traffic: Eau Claire 1 hr 15 min, Twin Cities 1 hr 20 min, Madison 3 hr 55 min, Green Bay 4 hr, Appleton 4 hr, Waukesha 4 hr 30 min, Milwaukee 4 hr 45 min, Rockford 4 hr 45 min, Chicago 5 hr 45 min
• Invasive species on record: Chinese Mystery Snail, Curly-Leaf Pondweed, Eurasian Water-Milfoil, Hybrid Eurasian / Northern Water-Milfoil, Purple Loosestrife
• Waterfront parcels: 256 waterfront parcels

Questions about Horseshoe Lake

How many waterfront properties are on Horseshoe Lake?

256 waterfront parcels front Horseshoe Lake: 170 in Polk County and 86 in Barron County. That counts parcels on the water from county parcel maps, not homes for sale.

How big is Horseshoe Lake?

Horseshoe Lake covers 398 acres in Polk and Barron counties, Wisconsin.

How deep is Horseshoe Lake?

Horseshoe Lake is 57 feet deep at its deepest point, and 20 feet deep on average.

What fish are in Horseshoe Lake?

The Wisconsin DNR lists largemouth bass, northern pike and walleye in Horseshoe Lake.

Is there public access to Horseshoe Lake?

Yes. Horseshoe Lake has a public boat landing.

Can you water-ski or run a boat at speed on Horseshoe Lake?

Horseshoe 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 water-skiing rules and slow-no-wake areas; the ordinance itself says which part of the lake or the day each covers.

How long is the drive to Horseshoe Lake?

By car, Horseshoe Lake is about 1 hr 15 min from Eau Claire, 1 hr 20 min from the Twin Cities, 3 hr 55 min from Madison and 5 hr 45 min from Chicago. Those are typical times without traffic, to the nearest road at the lake.

What is the bottom of Horseshoe Lake like?

The lake bottom is 60% muck, 40% sand, by the Wisconsin DNR's record.