US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsOnalaska · Campbell · Holland · Caledonia · Trempealeau · La Crosse, Wisconsin — La Crosse County.
Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 120018194).
The red circle marks Lake Onalaska.
Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.
Official Wisconsin DNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.
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.
Fish species listed by the Wisconsin DNR (with DNR abundance rating): Panfish (abundant), Largemouth Bass (common), Northern Pike (common), Smallmouth Bass (present), Walleye (present).
Average depth not published.
DNR lake class: Complex - Riverine
Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Lake Page for Lake Onalaska (WBIC 728100); maximum depth and acreage from the DNR lake classification data. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.
Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.
Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 120018194), 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.
OpenStreetMap shows about 3.2 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Lake Onalaska shoreline, mostly along the east and south shores.
No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Upper French Island Spillway Landing, 150 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.
We found 16 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Lake Onalaska, 5 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.
Showers · Drinking water
Electric hookups · Showers · Dump station
Electric hookups · Tent sites · Cabins or yurts · Showers
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.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (43.9227, -91.3121). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Lake Onalaska. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.
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.
7 public access sites listed, 6 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.
| Site | Town | Owner | Type | Parking | Fee | Uses | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fishermans Road | Onalaska | Parks & Recreation Dept. | Boat ramp · Gravel ramp | — | — | Boating | 43.8854, -91.2455 |
| Fishermans Road | Onalaska | Parks & Recreation Dept. | Boat ramp · Gravel ramp | — | — | Boating | 43.8875, -91.2552 |
| Fred Funk Boat Landing | Onalaska | LOCAL & FEDERAL | Boat ramp · Concrete Plank ramp | — | — | Boating | 43.9313, -91.3087 |
| Lake Onalaska Ramp | Onalaska | Town of Onalaska | Boat ramp · Concrete Panels ramp | — | — | Boating Handicap accessible | 43.9145, -91.2655 |
| Nelson Park Landing | Onalaska | US Fish & Wildlife | Boat ramp · Concrete Panels ramp | — | — | Boating Handicap accessible | 43.8952, -91.2689 |
| Upper French Island Spillway Landing | Onalaska | US Fish & Wildlife Service | Boat ramp · Concrete ramp | — | — | Boating | 43.8692, -91.2754 |
| Brice Prairie Walk-In Access | Onalaska | STATE(DNR) | Carry-in (hand launch) | — | — | Boating | 43.9373, -91.3169 |
Wisconsin DNR boat access sites
Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.
Reported on or near Lake Onalaska
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.
Lake Onalaska covers about 10,520 acres in Onalaska, Campbell, Holland and Caledonia, Wisconsin (La Crosse County).
The maximum recorded depth is 40 feet, according to the Wisconsin DNR Lake Pages.
Wisconsin DNR Lake Pages lists Walleye, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass and Panfish.
Yes. 6 public trailer launches are listed: Nelson Park Landing, Fishermans Road and Fred Funk Boat Landing. Check posted fees and parking rules.
Yes. We list 16 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 5 of them within 5 miles.
Lake Onalaska touches Onalaska, Campbell, Holland, Caledonia, Trempealeau and La Crosse in La Crosse County and Trempealeau County, Wisconsin.
Know Lake Onalaska? 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).
Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Wisconsin lakes & ponds · All waters in Onalaska