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Lake Emily

Amherst · Amherst Junction, Wisconsin — Portage County.

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108Surface acres
2Public access sites
0.3 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 75658313).

Location & fast facts

Where Lake Emily is in Wisconsin

The red circle marks Lake Emily.

Fast facts

About Lake Emily

  • County: Portage
  • Shore towns: Amherst, Amherst Junction
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 122 mi from Milwaukee and 37 mi from Wausau, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.

Fishing in Wisconsin

Official Wisconsin DNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 2 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Fishing. Walleye, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass and Panfish
  • Swimming. 1 public beach or swim spot on the map (details)
  • Walking. 0.3 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 13 campgrounds within 15 mi, 2 on the shore (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Eurasian watermilfoil, Curly-leaf pondweed and Rusty Crayfish recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.
  • No lifeguard listed. None of our sources lists a staffed lifeguard. Swim at your own risk and watch children closely.
  • Cold water. Water stays cold well into late spring and turns cold again in fall. Wear a life jacket when paddling in the shoulder seasons.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Official lake data (Wisconsin DNR)

105Acres (state figure)

Fish species listed by the Wisconsin DNR (with DNR abundance rating): Panfish (common), Largemouth Bass (common), Northern Pike (common), Walleye (common), Trout (present).

Maximum depth and Average depth not published.

DNR lake class: Complex - Warm - Clear

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Lake Page for Lake Emily (WBIC 189800); maximum depth and acreage from the DNR lake classification data. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

Lake map

Lake Emily shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Lake Emily Park North Campground (campground)Lake Emily South Campground (campground)Lake Emily Park Boat Ramp (Boat launch)1Lake Emily Ramp (Boat launch)2Beach (unnamed on OpenStreetMap) (Beach)3¼ mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchBeachShoreline trail Campground
  1. 1Lake Emily Park Boat Ramp
    Boat launch · Amherst
  2. 2Lake Emily Ramp
    Boat launch · Amherst
  3. 3Beach (unnamed on OpenStreetMap)
    Beach

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 75658313), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Wisconsin DNR boat access sites. Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

0.3 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 15%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
East shoreWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 0.3 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Lake Emily shoreline, mostly along the east shore.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Lake Emily Park Boat Ramp, 500 ft from a shoreline trail (Wisconsin DNR boat access data).

The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.

Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 9, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near Lake Emily

We found 13 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Lake Emily, 2 of them within 5 miles. 2 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

7 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in Wisconsin

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (44.4702, -89.3357). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Lake Emily. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Lake Emily

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in CT (America/Chicago), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    2 public access sites listed, 2 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Lake Emily Park Boat RampAmherstPortage County Parks DepartmentBoat ramp · Paved ramp——Boating44.4686, -89.3270
    Lake Emily RampAmherstTown of AmherstBoat ramp · Unimproved ramp——Boating44.4684, -89.3433

    Wisconsin DNR boat access sites

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Public beaches

    On OpenStreetMap: 1 beach or swimming spot on the shore of Lake Emily not marked private, residents-only or members-only.

    BeachTypeAccessDirections
    Beach (unnamed on OpenStreetMap)BeachAccess not tagged; check posted rulesGet directions

    Beaches: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), within about 150 m (500 ft) of the lake outline. A mapped beach is not a guarantee that swimming is allowed, supervised or safe; some town beaches need a resident sticker even when the map doesn't say so. Check posted rules and water-quality advisories before you swim.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Lake Emily

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Lake Emily

    How big is Lake Emily?

    Lake Emily covers about 108 acres in Amherst and Amherst Junction, Wisconsin (Portage County).

    What fish are in Lake Emily?

    Wisconsin DNR Lake Pages lists Walleye, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Panfish and Trout.

    Is there a public boat launch on Lake Emily?

    Yes. 2 public trailer launches are listed: Lake Emily Ramp and Lake Emily Park Boat Ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Can you swim in Lake Emily?

    OpenStreetMap shows 1 public beach or swimming spot on the shore. None of our sources lists a lifeguard, so swim at your own risk and follow posted rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Lake Emily?

    Yes. We list 13 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 2 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Lake Emily?

    Lake Emily touches Amherst and Amherst Junction in Portage County, Wisconsin.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Lake Emily? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Wisconsin lakes & ponds · All waters in Amherst