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Lake Saint Croix

Troy · Clifton · St. Joseph · Hudson · North Hudson · Prescott, Wisconsin — St. Croix County.

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7,694Surface acres (whole lake)
4Public access sites
4.6 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 91692521); shared with Minnesota, acreage is the whole lake.

Location & fast facts

Where Lake Saint Croix is in Wisconsin

The red circle marks Lake Saint Croix.

Fast facts

About Lake Saint Croix

  • Counties: St. Croix, Pierce
  • Shore towns: Troy, Clifton, St. Joseph, Hudson, North Hudson, Prescott
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Shared with: Minnesota. The surface acreage shown is the whole lake; about 50% of the mapped water is in Wisconsin.
  • Distance: about 274 mi from Milwaukee and 154 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. 4 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Fishing. Walleye, Musky, Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass
  • Swimming. 7 public beach or swim spots on the map (details)
  • Walking. 4.6 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 17 campgrounds within 15 mi, 1 on the shore (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Zebra mussel, Curly-leaf pondweed and Chinese mysterysnail 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)

60 ftMaximum depth
4,668Acres (state figure)

Fish species listed by the Wisconsin DNR (with DNR abundance rating): Smallmouth Bass (common), Walleye (common), Musky (present), Largemouth Bass (present), Northern Pike (present), Sturgeon (present), Catfish (present).

Average depth not published.

DNR lake class: Complex - Warm - Dark

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Lake Page for Lake Saint Croix (WBIC 2601500); maximum depth and acreage from the DNR lake classification data. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

Lake map

Lake Saint Croix shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Afton State Park River Side (campground)Afton Backpack Campground (campground)Afton State Park Back Country Campground (campground)Boat ramp (Boat launch)1Boat ramp (Boat launch)2Cove Boat Ramp (Boat launch)3Lakefront Park Boat Ramp (Boat launch)4Pembles Beach (Beach)5Lakeland Beach (Beach)6Camp St. Croix Beach (Beach)7Brown's Beach (Beach)8Beach House (Beach)9Beach (unnamed on OpenStreetMap) (Beach)101 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchBeachShoreline trail Campground
  1. 1Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Hudson
  2. 2Boat ramp
    Boat launch
  3. 3Cove Boat Ramp
    Boat launch · Troy
  4. 4Lakefront Park Boat Ramp
    Boat launch · Troy
  5. 5Pembles Beach
    Beach
  6. 6Lakeland Beach
    Beach
  7. 7Camp St. Croix Beach
    Beach
  8. 8Brown's Beach
    Beach
  9. 9Beach House
    Beach
  10. 10Beach (unnamed on OpenStreetMap)
    Beach

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 91692521), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Wisconsin DNR boat access sites and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

4.6 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 5%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
North and south shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 4.6 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Lake Saint Croix shoreline, mostly along the north and south shores.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Lakefront Park Boat Ramp, right on 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 Saint Croix

We found 17 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Lake Saint Croix, 4 of them within 5 miles. 1 is right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

11 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: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · 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 (44.9023, -92.7684). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Lake Saint Croix. 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 Saint Croix

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

    4 public access sites listed, 4 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Boat rampHudson—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp—No feeBoating44.9791, -92.7597
    Boat ramp——Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating44.7988, -92.7873
    Cove Boat RampTroyTown of TroyBoat ramp · Concrete Panels ramp——Boating44.9064, -92.7532
    Lakefront Park Boat RampTroyParks & Recreation DepartmentBoat ramp · Concrete Plank ramp——Boating44.9715, -92.7587

    Wisconsin DNR boat access sites and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)

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

    Public beaches

    On OpenStreetMap: 7 beaches and swimming spots on the shore of Lake Saint Croix not marked private, residents-only or members-only.

    BeachTypeAccessDirections
    Pembles BeachBeachAccess not tagged; check posted rulesGet directions
    Lakeland BeachBeachAccess not tagged; check posted rulesGet directions
    Camp St. Croix BeachBeachAccess not tagged; check posted rules; lifeguards (seasonal)Get directions
    Brown's BeachBeachAccess not tagged; check posted rulesGet directions
    Beach HouseSwimming spotPublic accessGet directions
    Browns BeachBeachAccess not tagged; check posted rulesGet directions
    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 Saint Croix

    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 Saint Croix

    How big is Lake Saint Croix?

    Lake Saint Croix covers about 7,694 acres in Troy, Clifton, St. Joseph and Hudson, Wisconsin (St. Croix County).

    How deep is Lake Saint Croix?

    The maximum recorded depth is 60 feet, according to the Wisconsin DNR Lake Pages.

    What fish are in Lake Saint Croix?

    Wisconsin DNR Lake Pages lists Walleye, Musky, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Catfish and Sturgeon.

    Is there a public boat launch on Lake Saint Croix?

    Yes. 4 public trailer launches are listed: Lakefront Park Boat Ramp, Cove Boat Ramp and Boat ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Can you swim in Lake Saint Croix?

    OpenStreetMap shows 7 public beach or swimming spots 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 Saint Croix?

    Yes. We list 17 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 4 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Lake Saint Croix?

    Lake Saint Croix touches Troy, Clifton, St. Joseph, Hudson, North Hudson and Prescott in St. Croix County and Pierce County, Wisconsin.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Lake Saint Croix? 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).

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