US lakes & ponds
Wisconsin › Vilas County › Plum Lake › Star Lake

Star Lake

Plum Lake, Wisconsin — Vilas County.

Share:TextEmailFacebookX
1,220Surface acres
2Public access sites
4.5 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 70331031).

Location & fast facts

Where Star Lake is in Wisconsin

The red circle marks Star Lake.

Fast facts

About Star Lake

  • County: Vilas
  • Town: Plum Lake
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 221 mi from Milwaukee and 74 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
  • Walking. 4.5 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 44 campgrounds within 15 mi, 3 on the shore (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Spiny waterflea, Chinese mysterysnail 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.
  • 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)

68 ftMaximum depth
1,206Acres (state figure)

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

Average depth not published.

DNR lake class: Complex - Two Story

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Lake Page for Star Lake (WBIC 1593100); maximum depth and acreage from the DNR lake classification data. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

Lake map

Star Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

East Star Lake Campground (campground)Star Canoe campsites (campground)West Star Lke Campground (campground)East Star Lake Campground (Boat launch)1West Star Lake Campground (Boat launch)2½ mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchShoreline trail Campground
  1. 1East Star Lake Campground
    Boat launch · Plum Lake
  2. 2West Star Lake Campground
    Boat launch · Plum Lake

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 70331031), 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

4.5 miTrail within 100 m of shore
About 40%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
North and south shoresWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 4.5 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Star Lake shoreline, mostly along the north and south shores.

Trails along the shore

Trailheads & parking

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 Star Lake

We found 44 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Star Lake, 10 of them within 5 miles. 3 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

14 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 (46.0300, -89.4977). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Star 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 Star 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

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

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    East Star Lake CampgroundPlum LakeNHAL Recreation Team LeaderBoat ramp · Concrete Plank ramp——Boating46.0253, -89.4668
    West Star Lake CampgroundPlum LakeNHAL Recreation Team LeaderBoat ramp · Gravel ramp——Boating46.0320, -89.4750

    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 Star 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 Star Lake

    How big is Star Lake?

    Star Lake covers about 1,220 acres in Plum Lake, Wisconsin (Vilas County).

    How deep is Star Lake?

    The maximum recorded depth is 68 feet, according to the Wisconsin DNR Lake Pages.

    What fish are in Star Lake?

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

    Is there a public boat launch on Star Lake?

    Yes. 2 public trailer launches are listed: West Star Lake Campground and East Star Lake Campground. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Star Lake?

    Yes. We list 44 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 10 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Star Lake?

    Star Lake touches Plum Lake in Vilas County, Wisconsin.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Star 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 Plum Lake