December 02, 2008

Southeast Wisconsin’s Major Lakes Compared – Including Lake Geneva

Posted to Mike Pfammatter

The Lake Geneva / Walworth County area has many natural features that provide terrific recreational enjoyment for us. Of these, the lakes are by far the biggest attraction. In this post I’ll concentrate on just the larger lakes. All of the lakes mentioned in this article are “full sport lakes” – meaning that you can use your power boat for cruising, skiing and tubing. Also, you will not be disappointed with any of them whether you’re a sailor, fisherman, canoeist, or kayaker.


(Picture from Printer's Row Photography)
You can gain access to all of these lakes through public areas that are maintained and regulated by the local municipalities and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Go to the DNR’s website for details about boat launches and in-depth details about all of the local resources www.dnr.wi.gov.

Besides those who live directly on the shorelines, some area homeowners have private access to the water through lakefront parks and piers that are owned and maintained by homeowner associations. What we call “lake access homes” are generally available for a fraction of the cost of homes located directly on the water. The values of homes on or near the lakes have always reflected the limited number of properties like this. Besides single family homes, there are a number of excellent condominiums that have common areas on the water with private lake rights.

Geneva Lake
Geneva Lake is the jewel of the area. Being spring fed and with its gravel bottom, it rates very high for water clarity. Also contributing to the clean water is the lake’s very small water shed (the area of land around the lake that is sloped back to the water). It is known for being an excellent fishing lake, appealing to all types and levels of fishermen. Also, there are several clubs dedicated to sailing, and the lake is home to some large regattas sponsored through the Geneva Lake Yacht Club. Geneva Lake provides lots of room for your power boat or Jet Ski, with plenty of places to tie up and get refreshments. The city of Lake Geneva is the largest municipality on the lake, and there are also the villages of Williams Bay further west on the north shore, and Fontana on the southwestern corner of the lake. When you’re done enjoying the lake there is plenty to do in the surrounding area. Some of the most desirable homes in the state line Geneva’s shores. There are plenty of great condominium properties as well. One of the more notable of these is Abbey Springs. Most of the hotels and resorts on the lake have converted their rooms to condominiums, and these are available for sale though our office. Give me a call for more details.

Lake	Surface Area in Acres*	Maximum Depth*	Average Depth*	Clarity** 1-7 (7 is clearest)	Travel Time***
Geneva Lake	5262	135	61	6	80min/72mi
Lake Delavan	2072	56	21	4	100min/92mi
Lake Como	946	9	4	3	85min/76mi
Lake Beulah	834	58	17	5	92min/85mi
Lauderdale Lakes (total)	841	55	na	5/4/4	90min/83mi
Whitewater Lake	640	38	na	4	89min/81mi

*Lake size and depth from WI DNR www.dnr.wi.gov/org/water/fhp/lakes/lakes1a.pdf
**Clarity Based on info from UW Madison www.LakeSat.org
***Travel time calculated from Chicago using Map Source

Delavan Lake
Delavan Lake is the next in size and also offers great boating and fishing. It has an organic bottom and a larger water shed, making it rank a couple of spots lower on the clarity scale. There are no towns directly on the lake, but there is a commercial area on the east side where Route 50 passes by. It has 2 separate but attached smaller bodies of water at each of the lake. The one to the east is called the inlet, and the other is the outlet. Lake Lawn Lodge has a large part of the north east shore line on its property, and there are rooms and suites available through our office for sale as Condominium/hotels. The range of available property with access to Lake Delavan is quite broad.

Lake Como
Next is Lake Como. It is said that at one point a long time ago, Lake Como was an extension of the bay on the north shore of Geneva Lake. Como is most noted for boating and beautiful Sunsets. The east end is a nature lover’s dream, where the water transitions to marshland. This is a great place to canoe or kayak. The lake is very shallow and has a soft bottom. Because it is well protected from the winds, it is an excellent skiing lake as well. There are a couple of favorite area restaurants (Kirsch’s in the French Country Inn & Mars Resort) on the south shore. The entire northwest corner of the lake is where the impressive 1800 acre private conservancy community of Geneva National is located.

Lake Beulah
In the north east corner of the county is lovely Lake Beulah. It has been called the little Lake Geneva, and it’s clear water and sandy bottom are the main reasons. Mostly residential, there are a couple of commercial establishments on the lake. The area around Beulah is still mostly undeveloped making it very quiet and secluded, but it is still surprisingly close to I94, which makes it an easy drive. There are no condominiums with frontage on Beulah.

Lauderdale Lakes
Lauderdale Lakes is the collective name of 3 interconnected lakes. From north to south they are the spring fed Green Lake, then Middle Lake, and finally Mill Lake. They are located a few miles directly north of Elkhorn, WI. just off of Route 12/67. Many parts of its long and irregular shoreline have sandy beaches, and the water is delightful. In the center of the east shore are the Sterlingworth Condominiums and a marina. Besides being an excellent sportsman lake, Lauderdale is home to the Lauderdale Aqua Skiers. This is a really relaxed and fun part of the world.

Whitewater Lake
The last lake on my list is in the far north east corner of Walworth County, and it is also quite beautiful. It is located in the Kettle Moraine State Forest and the landscape and topography show it. There is a ridge the runs down the center of the lake giving an Alpine feel. There is a new condominium project that is due to be completed soon, but no others on the waterfront. This lake is really in a remote area and makes you feel like you’re in the North woods.

There are dozens of great smaller lakes that are quite beautiful and many people prefer their smaller scale. Call or email me and I can provide you with a lot more information on these or any other lakes in the area, as well as what properties are available on them.

Posted By: Mike Pfammatter

Tagged With: delavan lake, geneva lake, lake beulah, lake como and whitewater lake