Wisconsin Lake Finder

Stearns Lake

Stearns Lake is a 232-acre lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin, up to 16 feet deep, with 36 waterfront parcels on its shore. Fish include musky, panfish, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleye. The DNR lists no public boat landing.

• Size: 232 acres
• Deepest point: 16 ft
• Average depth: 6 ft
• Bottom: 40% sand, 30% gravel, 30% muck
• Fish: Musky, Panfish, Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Northern pike, Walleye
• 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, Eau Claire 3 hr, Appleton 3 hr 5 min, Madison 3 hr 40 min, Twin Cities 4 hr 5 min, Milwaukee 4 hr 20 min, Waukesha 4 hr 20 min, Rockford 4 hr 35 min, Chicago 5 hr 35 min
• Waterfront parcels: 36 waterfront parcels

Questions about Stearns Lake

How many waterfront properties are on Stearns Lake?

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

How big is Stearns Lake?

Stearns Lake covers 232 acres in Vilas County, Wisconsin.

How deep is Stearns Lake?

Stearns Lake is 16 feet deep at its deepest point, and 6 feet deep on average.

What fish are in Stearns Lake?

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

Is there public access to Stearns Lake?

The Wisconsin DNR lists no public boat landing, beach or park on Stearns Lake.

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

Stearns 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 Stearns Lake?

By car, Stearns Lake is about 3 hr from Green Bay, 3 hr from Eau Claire, 3 hr 5 min from Appleton, 4 hr 5 min from the Twin Cities and 5 hr 35 min from Chicago. Those are typical times without traffic, to the nearest road at the lake.

What is the bottom of Stearns Lake like?

The lake bottom is 40% sand, 30% gravel, 30% muck, by the Wisconsin DNR's record.