Dam Lake, Wisconsin, USA

Also known as:  Sugar Camp Chain of Lakes

A year round destination in the Northwoods Region of Wisconsin, Dam Lake in Oneida County offers fun, excitement and relaxation to its visitors. Beautifully situated in the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest, undeveloped land abounds for those who wish to step back in time and away from civilization, but strategically placed resorts offer modern comforts for those who wish to be a part of this natural beauty…
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All About Dam Lake, WI

A year round destination in the Northwoods Region of Wisconsin, Dam Lake in Oneida County offers fun, excitement and relaxation to its visitors. Beautifully situated in the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest, undeveloped land abounds for those who wish to step back in time and away from civilization, but strategically placed resorts offer modern comforts for those who wish to be a part of this natural beauty in luxury.

Visitors to Dam Lake enjoy sandy beaches, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, boating, waterskiing, and jet skiing during the warm months. During the cold snowy winter the fun keeps on going as the snowmobiles and cross country skiers swoosh over trails that go over the frozen lake. But regardless of the weather, fishing is a year round adventure as Dam Lake is known as a Class A Muskie Lake. Anglers, whether fishing from the shore, a boat, or ice fishing, are challenged by muskie, walleye, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, and smallmouth bass.

To multiply all of the fun, Dam Lake is the largest of a five lake chain known as the Sugar Camp Chain of Lakes. All five lakes – Dam, Sand, Chain, Stone, and Echo – are joined by portages and channels that offer over 2,300 acres of water to explore. Sand Lake is also classified as a Class A Muskie Lake, but all of the lakes have a great reputation for fishing; in fact, fishing tournaments are held year round on the lakes. The shoreline is privately owned either by individuals or resorts and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Real estate for sale along the chain often includes lakefront lots for private vacation homes.

For some time off Dam Lake, simply stroll along the many trails through the surrounding forest. With over 226,000 acres in Vilas, Oneida, and Iron Counties, the Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest receives over two million visitors each year. Established to protect the headwaters of three rivers, Manitowish, Flambeau, and Wisconsin, the area has become a Mecca for avid outdoor enthusiasts to hunt, fish, camp, bike, hike, ski, ice fish, snowshoe, and to ride snowmobiles. With hundreds of campsites that include group sites, family sites, backpack campsites for summer and winter use, and campsites along miles of canoe waterways, this park has become a favorite vacation destination for locals and tourists.

Dam Lake and the chain of lakes are located between the communities of Eagle River and St. Germain; they can provide anything you may need to fully enjoy this water paradise including food, lodging, fishing gear, equipment rental and guide services. Vacation rentals include hotels, motels, privately owned vacation homes and cottages, bed and breakfast inns, resorts, lodges, cabins, summer camps, conference centers and campgrounds. Numerous groomed trails throughout the region have ranked the area as “Best Overall Snowmobiling Destination” by Snowgoer Magazine. Each community does its part to help fulfill all visitors’ wishes for a memorable trip. For the last 60 winters, Eagle River residents have worked together to build an ice castle with ice blocks from nearby lakes with each block being unique.

If you still want more fun and excitement, then Oneida County itself boasts over 1,100 lakes, in addition to Dam Lake, all nestled in beautiful scenery for your enjoyment. Trails for hiking, biking, backpacking, snow shoeing or cross country skiing wind through the small communities of the county that offer a place to rest and relax after an exhilarating day. With many fine restaurants, diners and supper clubs throughout, you will have plenty of choices of cuisine to refuel your energy. Prefer to sit back and just breathe the pine scented air, then pick from many vacation rentals throughout the county that include resorts, cabins, motels, and vacation homes where you can relax and watch the wildlife scamper through the forest or along the shoreline of one of the many lakes.

Spring, summer, winter or fall – it does not matter when you choose to visit Dam Lake as there is always something exciting to do. For a taste of the great Northwoods of Wisconsin, plan your trip today but allow yourself plenty of time to do everything!

Things to Do at Dam Lake

These are some activities in the Dam Lake, WI area visitors can enjoy:

  • Vacation Rentals
  • Fishing
  • Fishing Tournaments
  • Ice Fishing
  • Boating
  • Swimming
  • Beach
  • Canoeing
  • Kayaking
  • Jet Skiing
  • Water Skiing
  • Camping
  • Campground
  • Cabin Rentals
  • Hiking
  • Biking
  • Cross-Country Skiing
  • Snowmobiling
  • Hunting
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • Birding
  • State Forest

What Kind of Fish Are in Dam Lake?

Dam Lake has been known to have the following fish species:

  • Bass
  • Black Bass
  • Bluegill
  • Crappie
  • Largemouth Bass
  • Muskellunge
  • Northern Pike
  • Perch
  • Pike
  • Smallmouth Bass
  • Sunfish
  • Walleye
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Find Places to Stay at Dam Lake

If you’re considering a Dam Lake lake house rental or hotel, we’ve made it super easy to find the best rates and compare vacation accommodations at a glance. Save time using this interactive map below.

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More Sites to Book a Dam Lake Vacation

Our interactive Dam Lake lodging map above is an easy tool for comparing VRBO rental homes and nearby hotels with Booking.com, but there could be times when you need to expand your search for different types of accommodations. Here are some other lake lodging partners we recommend:

Check TripAdvisor
Check Expedia
Find a Campspot
All Travel Resources

Dam Lake Statistics & Helpful Links

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Lake Type: Natural Freshwater Lake, Dammed

Water Level Control: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Surface Area: 744 acres

Shoreline Length: 7 miles

Normal Elevation (Full Pond): 1,598 feet

Average Depth: 18 feet

Maximum Depth: 32 feet

Water Volume: 13,318 acre-feet

Trophic State: Mesotrophic

We strive to keep information on LakeLubbers as accurate as possible. If you’ve found something here that needs updating, please touch base by filling out our Content Correction form.

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