Minocqua Canoeing & Kayaking
Being the home of 2,300 bodies of freshwater and the North Highland-American Legion State Forest, the Minocqua area is a is a heaven for paddlers. The NH-AL is the largest state forest in Wisconsin with 225,00 acres, 18 family campgrounds, 130 canoe and remote campsites, and 68 lakes designated as “Wilderness”, “Wild” or “Scenic”.
Paddling
Lakes
Little Bass Lake, located in Woodruff, is 44 acres. Popular for smallmouth bass and trout fishing.
Read MoreTrilby Lake, nestled in Arbor Vitae, offers paddlers a serene and peaceful experience across its 97...
Read MoreHemlock Lake, located in Woodruff, is a charming 38-acre lake perfect for paddlers seeking a...
Read MoreBolger Lake,in Minocqua, is 115 acres with a maximum depth of 45 feet. The lake offers public access...
Read MoreProng Lake, the southernmost lake of the Bittersweet Lakes State Natural Area, requires a 300-yard...
Read MorePaddling
Routes
Day Trips
RENTALS & GEAR
Chequamegon Adventure Company
Retailer of bicycles, fat tire bikes, kayaks, paddleboards, canoes, accessories, silent sports gear, clothing, and more! Rentals, sales and service available. Let us help you play! Read More
WILDERNESS LAKES
The Wilderness Lake shorelines are primarily forested, the forest composition varying with the site characteristics and the area’s management history. Each lake has an undeveloped shoreline, with no structures, except primitive campsites, within 1⁄4 mile. The lake and its shoreline within 1⁄4 mile, or to the visual horizon if it is further, are passively managed. Public motor vehicle use for lake access and all recreational uses are not allowed.
Wilderness Lakes
Brush Lake – 33 acres | Lake Alva - 23 acres |
Clear Lake - 62 acres | Toy Lake – 70 acres |
Kelly Lake - 32 acres | Woodson Lake – 27 acres |
WILD LAKES
Thirty-three lakes are designated as Wild Lakes. On Wild Lakes, human influence on the lake or its surrounding lands is not conspicuous. The shore-lands are primarily forested, the composition varying with the site characteristics and the area’s management history. The lakes and their shorelines, within 400 feet or to the visual horizon from the lake if that is further, are natural appearing without signs of management. There is only non-motorized use of these lakes.
Wild Lakes
Norway Pine Lake – 30 acres | |
Bittersweet Lake – 103 acres | Oberlin Lake – 42 acres |
Bug Lake – 19 acres | Prong Lake – 31 acres |
Devine Lake – 95 acres | Salsich Lake – 48 acres |
Du Page Lake – 32 acres | Smith Lake – 41 acres |
East Ellerson Lake - 136 acres | Swanson Lake – 21 acres |
Frog Lake – 42 acres | Unnamed lake east of Lumen Lake – 7 acres |
Hawk Lake – 10 acres | Unnamed lake east of Bittersweet Lake – 5 acres |
Helen Lake – 12 acres | Unnamed lake south of Rainbow Flowage – 13 acres |
Inpot Lake – 14 acres | Unnamed lake north of Big Lake – 10 acres |
Island Lake – 17 acres | Unnamed lake west of Round Lake – 15 acres |
Johnson Lake – 24 acres |
Unnamed lake southeast of White Sand Lake – 20 acres |
Little Cloud Lake – 10 acres | 3 small unnamed lakes around East Ellerson Lake – 19, 10, 8 acres |
Max Lake – 24 acres | 3 small unnamed lakes west of Swanson Lake – 9, 5 4 acres |
Mud Lake – 56 acres |
SCENIC LAKES
Due to a statewide policy change that tightened the criteria for allowable uses on designated wilderness and wild lakes, several NH-AL lakes that were designated under the 1982 plan no longer qualify for designation without changing their long-established pattern of use. Under the revised forest plan they will be assigned a classification that fits their current conditions; thus, allowing all of the present uses and similar management objectives to continue.
Sixteen of these lakes fall within Native Community Management Areas that will have limited or no forest management in order to protect the natural scenic values of the lakeshore.
To continue the high level of shoreline protection, the shoreline of the remaining 29 lakes will be classified as scenic lake zones. A 400-foot scenic management zone, similar to the wild lake management zone, will surround each lake.
Scenic Lakes
Blueberry Lake | Little Rock Lake |
Deadman Lake | Lone Tree Lake |
Dorothy Dunn Lake | Maple Lake |
Eloise Lake | McNaughton Lake |
Emerald Lake | Otto Meilke Lake |
Fallison Lake | Partridge Lake |
Firefly Lake | Shannon Lake |
Frank Lake | Trilby Lake |
Fox Lake | Turtle Lake |
Hemlock Lake | Wildwood Lake |
Jean Lake | Zottle Lake |
Little Bass Lake | 4 Un-named lakes north of White Sand lake Un-named (aka Long Lake) |
Little John Jr. Lake |