Wisconsin Lake Finder

Oxbow Lake

Oxbow Lake is a 523-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin, up to 44 feet deep, with 179 waterfront parcels on its shore. Fish include musky, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye. It has a public boat landing and public land or a park on the shore.

• Size: 523 acres
• Deepest point: 44 ft
• Average depth: 15 ft
• Bottom: 60% sand, 20% gravel, 15% rock, 5% muck
• Fish: Musky, Panfish, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth 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
• 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
• Invasive species on record: Banded Mystery Snail
• Waterfront parcels: 179 waterfront parcels

Questions about Oxbow Lake

How many waterfront properties are on Oxbow Lake?

179 waterfront parcels front Oxbow Lake in Vilas County. That counts parcels on the water from county parcel maps, not homes for sale.

How big is Oxbow Lake?

Oxbow Lake covers 523 acres in Vilas County, Wisconsin.

How deep is Oxbow Lake?

Oxbow Lake is 44 feet deep at its deepest point, and 15 feet deep on average.

What fish are in Oxbow Lake?

The Wisconsin DNR lists musky, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye in Oxbow Lake.

Is there public access to Oxbow Lake?

Yes. Oxbow 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 Oxbow Lake?

Oxbow 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 Oxbow Lake?

By car, Oxbow 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 Oxbow Lake like?

The lake bottom is 60% sand, 20% gravel, 15% rock, 5% muck, by the Wisconsin DNR's record.