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Silver Lake

Salem Lakes, Wisconsin — Kenosha County.

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516Surface acres
3Public access sites
1.1 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 121623819).

Location & fast facts

Where Silver Lake is in Wisconsin

The red circle marks Silver Lake.

Fast facts

About Silver Lake

  • County: Kenosha
  • Town: Salem Lakes
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 36 mi from Milwaukee and 182 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, Musky, Northern Pike and Largemouth Bass
  • Swimming. 1 public beach or swim spot on the map (details)
  • Walking. 1.1 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 12 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.
  • 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)

464Acres (state figure)

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

Maximum depth and Average depth not published.

DNR lake class: Complex - Warm - Dark

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Lake Page for Silver Lake (WBIC 747900); maximum depth and acreage from the DNR lake classification data. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

Lake map

Silver Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

288th Avenue Boat Launch (Boat launch)1Cogswell Drive Boat Ramp (Boat launch)2Highway F Access (Cartop / walk-in)3Silver Lake Beach (Beach)4½ mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchCartop / walk-inBeachShoreline trail
  1. 1288th Avenue Boat Launch
    Boat launch · Salem Lakes
  2. 2Cogswell Drive Boat Ramp
    Boat launch · Salem Lakes
  3. 3Highway F Access
    Cartop / walk-in · Salem Lakes
  4. 4Silver Lake Beach
    Beach

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 121623819), 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

1.1 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 20%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
North and east shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 1.1 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Silver Lake shoreline, mostly along the north and east shores.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is 288th Avenue Boat Launch, 0.2 mi 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 Silver Lake

We found 12 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Silver Lake, 5 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

6 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 (42.5512, -88.1541). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Silver 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 Silver 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

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

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    288th Avenue Boat LaunchSalem LakesSTATE(DNR)Boat ramp · Concrete Panels ramp——Boating42.5573, -88.1547
    Cogswell Drive Boat RampSalem LakesVillage of Silver LakeBoat ramp · Gravel ramp——Boating42.5497, -88.1657
    Highway F AccessSalem LakesVillage of Silver LakeCarry-in (hand launch)——Boating42.5430, -88.1589

    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 Silver Lake not marked private, residents-only or members-only.

    BeachTypeAccessDirections
    Silver Lake BeachBeachAccess not tagged; check posted rules; feeGet 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 Silver 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 Silver Lake

    How big is Silver Lake?

    Silver Lake covers about 516 acres in Salem Lakes, Wisconsin (Kenosha County).

    What fish are in Silver Lake?

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

    Is there a public boat launch on Silver Lake?

    Yes. 2 public trailer launches are listed: 288th Avenue Boat Launch and Cogswell Drive Boat Ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Can you swim in Silver Lake?

    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 Silver Lake?

    Yes. We list 12 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 5 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Silver Lake?

    Silver Lake touches Salem Lakes in Kenosha County, Wisconsin.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Silver 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 Salem Lakes