Wisconsin LakesWisconsin lakes stands out in my mind as a sort of "trademark" of the state. I know some people might say the silo is more representative, but I think that symbol is too limiting and doesn't do Wisconsin justice.  If you've never had the privilege of visiting Wisconsin, you don't know what you're missing. I must warn you, though, you have to be a fan of the "blue stuff." It just so happens I absolutely love water, so the fact that there are over 15,000 lakes among lush green forests is right up my alley. As I've said before, every summer I would spend at least two weeks on one of those Wisconsin lakes and it was during those summers that I learned how to swim. I went from being a veritable toddler, toted around in the water by my dad, to actually becoming a very good swimmer. That was years ago, and lacking access to a pool now, I've lost my chops. At one point though, I was better than any swimmer I knew, save my brother, Syd. But then again, he was on the swim team and I wasn't, so it's not a truly fair comparison.:o) Now waterskiing, the favorite summertime sport of thousands, was fun to watch, but I could never quite get the hang of it. Dad, on the other hand, was fantastic. He could do the one-leg thing and ski right on in to the shore without getting wet. We kids were always very impressed by that. He was also my swimming teacher, so those tricks made him seem almost God-like to me. My sister Teresa loved fishing out on the lake and would get up at the crack of dawn with my grandpa to take advantage of the early feeders, and later as he got older, my little brother Bryan did the same. I guess you could say the whole family loves water, and it was instilled in us from a very early age on those vacations. Those memories will last us a lifetime. Enough of my family album - here's some (hopefully) interesting background for you. Wisconsin is beloved by many and many a settler was awestruck by it. In fact, back in the day when the area was first discovered, its beauty was written about, drawing people far and wide to behold for themselves the natural beauty of the land. Of course, Wisconsin was no secret to Native Americans who cherished it long before any Europeans arrived, but maybe I'll share that story later. As civilization established, Wisconsin became well-known and valued for its lakes and waterways because they allowed industry to flourish and commerce to get a foothold. Back then, there were no highways like there are now, so water was the primary means of transport. The industrialization of Milwaukee was supported by Lake Michigan and Wisconsin was put on the map as a center of commerce in the United States. Unfortunately, the introduction of the railroad bested water travel and Chicago surpassed Milwaukee as a world trade center. In modern times, as far as recreation is concerned, it's hard to beat Wisconsin watersports. Boating, fishing, swimming, skiing, and tubing are plentiful in summer and ice fishing, skating and snowmobiling are plentiful in the winter. Just be careful on that ice, will ya? Now I'm assuming if you are looking for a list of Wisconsin lakes, you are interested in fishing and boating or in finding your own place near a cabin to relax and wile away your vacation hours. The list below is compiled by county, with some special callout areas you may be interested in. As time permits, we will add more useful information to the lists, but meanwhile, you can find details about each lake at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources or more information at Wisconsin Association of Lakes. I do hope these lists help you plan a better getaway or vacation! And may Wisconsin lakes help you create as many special memories for your family as they did for mine. Wisconsin Lakes Top of Page
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