WI · ranked by public data

Polk County, Wisconsin Lakes with the Most Public Access

47 Polk County lakes are at least 50 acres with a verified public access point, out of 250 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.

14 sites
1,901 acres
Polk County, WI
Balsam Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.47, -92.431,901 acres | 37 ft max4 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
4 verified public access points · 1,901 acres, 37 ft max depth
23 sites
604 acres
Polk County, WI
Apple River Flowage
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.37, -92.36604 acres | 18 ft max3 public access pointsPanfish, Largemouth Bass
3 verified public access points · 604 acres, 18 ft max depth
32 sites
Polk County, WI
Bone Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.23, -92.331,667 acres | 43 ft max2 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Musky
2 verified public access points · 1,667 acres, 43 ft max depth
42 sites
1,189 acres
Polk County, WI
Wapogasset Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedDNR impairmentWater data
45.33, -92.431,189 acres | 32 ft max2 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Panfish
2 verified public access points · 1,189 acres, 32 ft max depth · DNR impairment listed
52 sites
550 acres
Polk County, WI
Half Moon Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.49, -92.42550 acres | 60 ft max2 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
2 verified public access points · 550 acres, 60 ft max depth
62 sites
208 acres
Polk County, WI
Big Blake Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.50, -92.33208 acres | 14 ft max2 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Panfish
2 verified public access points · 208 acres, 14 ft max depth
71 site
1,120 acres
Polk County, WI
Cedar Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedDNR impairmentWater data
45.21, -92.571,120 acres | 32 ft max1 public access pointWalleye, Musky
1 verified public access point · 1,120 acres, 32 ft max depth · DNR impairment listed
81 site
1,014 acres
Polk County, WI
Big Round Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.52, -92.301,014 acres | 17 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass
1 verified public access point · 1,014 acres, 17 ft max depth
91 site
786 acres
Polk County, WI
Deer Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.40, -92.52786 acres | 46 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Musky
1 verified public access point · 786 acres, 46 ft max depth
101 site
Polk County, WI
Horseshoe Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.32, -92.51398 acres | 57 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
1 verified public access point · 398 acres, 57 ft max depth

Rank	Lake	County	Public access	Acres	Max depth
11	Big Butternut Lake	Polk	1 site	384	19 ft
12	Pipe Lakeimpaired	Polk	1 site	293	68 ft
13	Bear Trap Lakeimpaired	Polk	1 site	247	25 ft
14	Lotus Lakeimpaired	Polk	1 site	246	15 ft
15	Big Lake	Polk	1 site	245	24 ft
16	Magnor Lake	Polk	1 site	229	26 ft
17	Horse Lakeimpaired	Polk	1 site	221	11 ft
18	Sand Lake	Polk	1 site	216	58 ft
19	Wild Goose Lake	Polk	1 site	190	12 ft
20	Little Butternut Lake	Polk	1 site	185	23 ft
21	Long Trade Lake	Polk	1 site	150	13 ft
22	Pike Lake	Polk	1 site	148	33 ft
23	Largon Lake	Polk	1 site	135	10 ft
24	Loveless Lakeimpaired	Polk	1 site	132	20 ft
25	North Twin Lake	Polk	1 site	129	27 ft

Methodology

How this list is built

Ranked by the number of verified public access points on each lake: boat launches, landings, parks, beaches, and marinas open to the public.
Shore fishing access is flagged where documented but does not add to the count.
Lakes under 50 acres — or without documented acreage — are excluded from rankings.
Access inventories favor well-documented water — a lake with unrecorded informal access will undercount.
Verify fees, seasons, and ramp conditions before you go; access details change.

FAQ

Polk County lake records

Which lake in Polk County has the most public access points?

Balsam Lake — Balsam Lake in Polk County has the most verified public access points of any Polk County lake we track, with 4.

Lakes with the most public access statewide Deepest lakes in Polk County Biggest lakes in Polk County Clearest lakes in Polk County All Polk County lakes

Source data: Wisconsin DNR lake and monitoring records as aggregated by LakeList. Figures reflect the most recent documented values, not new surveys — verify access and rules before you go. Lake outlines are shoreline shapes from LakeList and the USGS National Hydrography Dataset; they illustrate a lake's form and are not depth or navigation charts.

WI · ranked by public data

Polk County, Wisconsin Lakes with the Most Public Access

47 Polk County lakes are at least 50 acres with a verified public access point, out of 250 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.

14 sites
1,901 acres
Polk County, WI
Balsam Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.47, -92.431,901 acres | 37 ft max4 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
4 verified public access points · 1,901 acres, 37 ft max depth
23 sites
604 acres
Polk County, WI
Apple River Flowage
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.37, -92.36604 acres | 18 ft max3 public access pointsPanfish, Largemouth Bass
3 verified public access points · 604 acres, 18 ft max depth
32 sites
Polk County, WI
Bone Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.23, -92.331,667 acres | 43 ft max2 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Musky
2 verified public access points · 1,667 acres, 43 ft max depth
42 sites
1,189 acres
Polk County, WI
Wapogasset Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedDNR impairmentWater data
45.33, -92.431,189 acres | 32 ft max2 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Panfish
2 verified public access points · 1,189 acres, 32 ft max depth · DNR impairment listed
52 sites
550 acres
Polk County, WI
Half Moon Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.49, -92.42550 acres | 60 ft max2 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
2 verified public access points · 550 acres, 60 ft max depth
62 sites
208 acres
Polk County, WI
Big Blake Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.50, -92.33208 acres | 14 ft max2 public access pointsLargemouth Bass, Panfish
2 verified public access points · 208 acres, 14 ft max depth
71 site
1,120 acres
Polk County, WI
Cedar Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedDNR impairmentWater data
45.21, -92.571,120 acres | 32 ft max1 public access pointWalleye, Musky
1 verified public access point · 1,120 acres, 32 ft max depth · DNR impairment listed
81 site
1,014 acres
Polk County, WI
Big Round Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.52, -92.301,014 acres | 17 ft max1 public access pointPanfish, Largemouth Bass
1 verified public access point · 1,014 acres, 17 ft max depth
91 site
786 acres
Polk County, WI
Deer Lake
enhancedDepth mapStockedWater data
45.40, -92.52786 acres | 46 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Musky
1 verified public access point · 786 acres, 46 ft max depth
101 site
Polk County, WI
Horseshoe Lake
enhancedDepth mapWater data
45.32, -92.51398 acres | 57 ft max1 public access pointLargemouth Bass, Northern Pike
1 verified public access point · 398 acres, 57 ft max depth

Rank	Lake	County	Public access	Acres	Max depth
11	Big Butternut Lake	Polk	1 site	384	19 ft
12	Pipe Lakeimpaired	Polk	1 site	293	68 ft
13	Bear Trap Lakeimpaired	Polk	1 site	247	25 ft
14	Lotus Lakeimpaired	Polk	1 site	246	15 ft
15	Big Lake	Polk	1 site	245	24 ft
16	Magnor Lake	Polk	1 site	229	26 ft
17	Horse Lakeimpaired	Polk	1 site	221	11 ft
18	Sand Lake	Polk	1 site	216	58 ft
19	Wild Goose Lake	Polk	1 site	190	12 ft
20	Little Butternut Lake	Polk	1 site	185	23 ft
21	Long Trade Lake	Polk	1 site	150	13 ft
22	Pike Lake	Polk	1 site	148	33 ft
23	Largon Lake	Polk	1 site	135	10 ft
24	Loveless Lakeimpaired	Polk	1 site	132	20 ft
25	North Twin Lake	Polk	1 site	129	27 ft

Methodology

How this list is built

Ranked by the number of verified public access points on each lake: boat launches, landings, parks, beaches, and marinas open to the public.
Shore fishing access is flagged where documented but does not add to the count.
Lakes under 50 acres — or without documented acreage — are excluded from rankings.
Access inventories favor well-documented water — a lake with unrecorded informal access will undercount.
Verify fees, seasons, and ramp conditions before you go; access details change.

FAQ

Polk County lake records

Which lake in Polk County has the most public access points?

Balsam Lake — Balsam Lake in Polk County has the most verified public access points of any Polk County lake we track, with 4.

Lakes with the most public access statewide Deepest lakes in Polk County Biggest lakes in Polk County Clearest lakes in Polk County All Polk County lakes

Polk County, Wisconsin Lakes with the Most Public Access

Balsam Lake

Apple River Flowage

Bone Lake

Wapogasset Lake

Half Moon Lake

Big Blake Lake

Cedar Lake

Big Round Lake

Deer Lake

Horseshoe Lake

How this list is built

Polk County lake records

Which lake in Polk County has the most public access points?

Polk County, Wisconsin Lakes with the Most Public Access

Balsam Lake

Apple River Flowage

Bone Lake

Wapogasset Lake

Half Moon Lake

Big Blake Lake

Cedar Lake

Big Round Lake

Deer Lake

Horseshoe Lake

How this list is built

Polk County lake records

Which lake in Polk County has the most public access points?