Most lakes arrive naturally over millennia. Wazee Lake in Jackson County, Wisconsin, took about a decade — and it only exists because an iron mine was allowed to flood. Between 1968 and 1982 the Jackson County Iron Company dug ore out of the ground here, running pumps that expelled roughly 800 gallons of groundwater per minute to keep the pit dry. When the pumps finally switched off, the pit filled, and the result is now the state's deepest inland lake: 355 feet down at its lowest point, deep enough to submerge the Statue of Liberty, and clear enough for divers to see 40 feet ahead. The name comes from the Ho-Chunk word for "tall pine."
Today the 150-acre lake sits inside the 1,300-acre Wazee Lake Recreation Area, a county park open year-round. The headline draw is a genuinely good sandy beach on the southeast shore, where the lake bottom slopes gently — an easy entry for swimmers and kids, with the dramatic depths kept well offshore. Grills, picnic tables, a playground, restrooms and a summer concession stand round out the beach day. Kayaks and paddleboards are available to rent, and the shoreline gets rockier the further you go.
The clear water is a serious pull for scuba divers, who descend into the flooded quarry and sometimes find old industrial relics like chains and pipes. Anglers get smallmouth bass, bluegill, walleye and trout — Jackson County stocks the lake with rainbow trout — and there's a paved boat ramp on the south shore, though motors are banned to keep the water clean and quiet. Winter turns the lake into an ice-fishing spot (a Wisconsin DNR fishing license is required) and even a venue for ice diving if you have the training. On land, 9 miles of dirt trails and 3 miles of surfaced bike paths circle the water, with three overlooks and decent odds of spotting deer, turkeys or porcupines.
Practicalities are simple. You'll need a car — the park sits about 7 miles off Interstate 94, a bit over two hours from Madison or two and a half from Minneapolis, both with airport car rental. Entry costs $5 per vehicle (or $30 annually), and a 12-site rustic campground across the lake takes online reservations from April through November, vehicle pass included. Expect a water tap and pit toilets, nothing more. For softer beds, Black River Falls has chain hotels, and the Ho-Chunk Casino, under 10 miles away, runs around $200 a night.
Wazee suits travellers who like their swimming holes with a side of odd history, or divers after unusually clear inland water. Visit in summer for swimming and the best visibility underwater — July highs in the area average 83°F while the lake surface stays around 70°F, which is refreshing rather than freezing. Just don't expect beach-resort infrastructure; the appeal here is a quiet, clean, slightly surreal lake in Wisconsin dairy country.
Story via Explore.com.
