Wisconsin Lake Finder

Petenwell Lake

Petenwell Lake is a 23,173-acre lake in Adams, Juneau and Wood counties, Wisconsin, up to 44 feet deep, with 334 waterfront parcels on its shore. Fish include musky, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, sturgeon and catfish. It has 15 public boat landings, a public beach and public land or a park on the shore.

• Size: 23,173 acres
• Deepest point: 44 ft
• Bottom: 65% sand, 20% gravel, 15% muck
• Fish: Musky, Panfish, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Northern pike, Walleye, Sturgeon, Catfish
• Public access: 15 public boat landings, a public beach 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: Madison 1 hr 50 min, Appleton 1 hr 50 min, Eau Claire 1 hr 55 min, Green Bay 2 hr 20 min, Waukesha 2 hr 30 min, Milwaukee 2 hr 40 min, Rockford 2 hr 40 min, Twin Cities 3 hr 5 min, Chicago 3 hr 45 min
• Invasive species on record: Eurasian Water-Milfoil, Zebra Mussel
• Waterfront parcels: 334 waterfront parcels

Questions about Petenwell Lake

How many waterfront properties are on Petenwell Lake?

334 waterfront parcels front Petenwell Lake: 251 in Adams County, 72 in Juneau County and 11 in Wood County. That counts parcels on the water from county parcel maps, not homes for sale.

How big is Petenwell Lake?

Petenwell Lake covers 23,173 acres in Adams, Juneau and Wood counties, Wisconsin.

How deep is Petenwell Lake?

Petenwell Lake is 44 feet deep at its deepest point.

What fish are in Petenwell Lake?

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

Is there public access to Petenwell Lake?

Yes. Petenwell Lake has 15 public boat landings, a public beach and public land or a park on the shore.

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

Petenwell 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 Petenwell Lake?

By car, Petenwell Lake is about 1 hr 50 min from Madison, 1 hr 50 min from Appleton, 1 hr 55 min from Eau Claire, 3 hr 5 min from the Twin Cities and 3 hr 45 min from Chicago. Those are typical times without traffic, to the nearest road at the lake.

What is the bottom of Petenwell Lake like?

The lake bottom is 65% sand, 20% gravel, 15% muck, by the Wisconsin DNR's record.