Little Cedar Lake, Wisconsin, USA

Little Cedar Lake, located near West Bend, Wisconsin is a glacier-formed, 246-acre lake in the Kettle Moraine area of Washington County. Kettle Moraine is a 100-mile band of hills, ridges, and depressions in eastern Wisconsin formed by the intersection of two gigantic ice sheets during the last Ice Age, some 10,000 to 25,000 years ago. The kettles are spots where blocks of ice became buried under sand…
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All About Little Cedar Lake, WI

Little Cedar Lake, located near West Bend, Wisconsin is a glacier-formed, 246-acre lake in the Kettle Moraine area of Washington County. Kettle Moraine is a 100-mile band of hills, ridges, and depressions in eastern Wisconsin formed by the intersection of two gigantic ice sheets during the last Ice Age, some 10,000 to 25,000 years ago. The kettles are spots where blocks of ice became buried under sand and gravel. When the ice melted, deep depressions formed. Some of these depressions are now lakes with depths of up 100 feet. The moraines are the hilly belts of connected ridges and mounds that were formed along the glacier’s edge. Today, a forest of hardwoods mixed with pine plantations cover the rolling landscape around the sparkling lakes. Just a half hour drive northwest of Milwaukee, Little Cedar Lake is a great retreat for boating, fishing, and picnicking.

With a maximum depth of 56 feet and over four miles of shoreline, Little Cedar Lake is popular with locals and visitors for its pan fish. Bluegill, largemouth bass and smallmouth bass are abundant. Walleye can also be found in the deeper water. By early January the ice is usually stable on Little Cedar Lake and ice fishing rigs replace the summer casting equipment. Public access to the lake is from a hard-surfaced boat ramp at Ackerman’s Grove County Park on the southeast end of the lake. Depths vary, so boaters need to be aware when launching and retrieving their boats. Parking, picnic areas, and restroom facilities are available at the launch site. The 63-acre park offers spectacular views of Little Cedar Lake as well as natural woodland and wetland areas to explore.

The city of West Bend is just a short drive northeast of Little Cedar Lake. West Bend is a beautiful community with a number of parks and paths for jogging. Regner Park is the largest of the city’s parks offering more than 79 acres for public use. For the outdoor enthusiast, the Eisenbahn State Trail extends from West Bend into eastern Wisconsin, and offers over five miles of paved trail for hiking, bicycling, and cross-country skiing. The city’s 104-acre Lac Lawrann Conservancy offers ongoing environmental education programs, and has five miles of scenic trails for walking. Accommodations, shopping and fine dining facilities also make West Bend a great place to rest and relax.

Visitors to Little Cedar Lake looking for a little more excitement will find the vibrant city of Milwaukee just a short drive east of the lake. Milwaukee is nationally recognized for its wonderful museums, fine dining and hotels, professional sports, performing arts, gardens and parks, and a world-renowned zoo. Festivals and celebrations attracting millions of visitors are held throughout the year.

For those who prefer the quieter sounds of nature, the Kettle Moraine State Forest is north of Little Cedar Lake and offers 30,000 acres and 132 miles of trails for hiking, biking, horseback riding and cross country skiing. The State Forest is also home to seven lakes and many campgrounds for those who would like to spend the night under the stars.

Little Cedar Lake is a wonderful getaway with many lakefront homes available as vacation rentals. Lakefront and lake-access real estate can also be purchased for those who want to enjoy lake living year round. Hikers and wildlife observers will take pleasure in the scenery as they make their way through lush woods around the lake. No matter what draws visitors to Little Cedar Lake, its seclusion and proximity to metropolitan amenities will appeal to all who journey to its shores.

Things to Do at Little Cedar Lake

These are some activities in the Little Cedar Lake, WI area visitors can enjoy:

  • Vacation Rentals
  • Fishing
  • Ice Fishing
  • Boating
  • Camping
  • Campground
  • Picnicking
  • Hiking
  • Biking
  • Cross-Country Skiing
  • Horseback Riding
  • Wildlife Viewing
  • State Forest
  • Museum
  • Shopping

What Kind of Fish Are in Little Cedar Lake?

Little Cedar Lake has been known to have the following fish species:

  • Bass
  • Black Bass
  • Bluegill
  • Largemouth Bass
  • Perch
  • Smallmouth Bass
  • Sunfish
  • Walleye
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Find Places to Stay at Little Cedar Lake

If you’re considering a Little Cedar Lake lake house rental or hotel, we’ve made it super easy to find the best rates and compare vacation accommodations at a glance. Save time using this interactive map below.

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More Sites to Book a Little Cedar Lake Vacation

Our interactive Little Cedar Lake lodging map above is an easy tool for comparing VRBO rental homes and nearby hotels with Booking.com, but there could be times when you need to expand your search for different types of accommodations. Here are some other lake lodging partners we recommend:

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Little Cedar Lake Statistics & Helpful Links

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Lake Type: Natural Freshwater Lake, Not Dammed

Surface Area: 246 acres

Shoreline Length: 5 miles

Normal Elevation (Full Pond): 1,014 feet

Maximum Depth: 56 feet

Water Volume: 3,153 acre-feet

Trophic State: Mesotrophic

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