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Shadow Lake

Waupaca, Wisconsin — Waupaca County.

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44Surface acres
1Public access sites
0.6 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 75659795).

Location & fast facts

Where Shadow Lake is in Wisconsin

The red circle marks Shadow Lake.

Fast facts

About Shadow Lake

  • County: Waupaca
  • Town: Waupaca
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 108 mi from Milwaukee and 50 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. 1 public trailer launch listed (see access)
  • Fishing. Walleye, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass and Panfish
  • Walking. 0.6 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 11 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

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

41 ftMaximum depth
43Acres (state figure)

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

Average depth not published.

DNR lake class: Complex - Warm - Clear

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Lake Page for Shadow Lake (WBIC 258600); maximum depth and acreage from the DNR lake classification data. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

Lake map

Shadow Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Shadow Lake Access (Boat launch)10.1 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchShoreline trail
  1. 1Shadow Lake Access
    Boat launch · Waupaca

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 75659795), 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

0.6 miTrail within 80 m of shore
About 45%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
North and west shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 0.6 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 80 m (260 ft) of the Shadow Lake shoreline, mostly along the north and west shores.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Shadow Lake Access, 100 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 80 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near Shadow Lake

We found 11 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Shadow Lake, 2 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

5 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 (44.3458, -89.0878). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Shadow Lake. 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 Shadow Lake

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

    1 public access site listed, 1 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Shadow Lake AccessWaupacaParks & Recreation Dept.Boat ramp · Paved ramp——Boating44.3469, -89.0886

    Wisconsin DNR boat access sites

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

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Shadow Lake

    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 Shadow Lake

    How big is Shadow Lake?

    Shadow Lake covers about 44 acres in Waupaca, Wisconsin (Waupaca County).

    How deep is Shadow Lake?

    The maximum recorded depth is 41 feet, according to the Wisconsin DNR Lake Pages.

    What fish are in Shadow Lake?

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

    Is there a public boat launch on Shadow Lake?

    Yes. 1 public trailer launch is listed: Shadow Lake Access. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Shadow Lake?

    Yes. We list 11 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 2 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Shadow Lake?

    Shadow Lake touches Waupaca in Waupaca County, Wisconsin.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Shadow Lake? 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 Waupaca