Mauthe Lake Beach
Campbellsport, Wisconsin · on Mauthe Lake · Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit-Iansr
Verified · 4 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Yes, see below
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Mauthe Lake Beach
Mauthe Lake Beach is an official, DNR-managed swimming beach on 70-acre Mauthe Lake within the Kettle Moraine State Forest's Northern Unit near Campbellsport, Wisconsin. It is one of three designated swimming beaches in this glacially-carved state forest.
The beach sits on Mauthe Lake, a 70-acre glacial lake in Fond du Lac County within the Northern Unit of Kettle Moraine State Forest, a 30,000+ acre property known for kettle, kame, and esker landforms left by retreating glaciers. The lake reaches a maximum depth of about 23 feet with a lake bed that is roughly a third sand and two-thirds muck.
Swimming at Mauthe Lake Beach
Swimming is confined to a roped/buoy-marked designated area at the beach; no lifeguards are on duty. The setting is a family-oriented lake beach (a south beach area has a playground for young children) rather than a backcountry swimming hole, with water quality tested regularly from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
How to get to this swimming hole
Located at N1490 County Road GGG, Campbellsport, WI 53010, within the Northern Unit of Kettle Moraine State Forest.
The hike in
Difficulty: easy (optional loop trail only)
No hike is needed to reach the beach itself, it's a drive-up state-forest swim beach. For visitors who want to walk, the Tamarack Trail is an optional 2-mile easy nature-trail loop entirely within the Mauthe Lake refuge that circles the lake, accessible either from the Mauthe Lake recreation area off County GGG or from the forest headquarters off County G; it is not required to reach the swim area.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
Buoy-marked designated swim area on a gentle lake with a nearby playground for young children make it family-oriented, but there are no lifeguards on duty and the DNR lake-facts page reports the lakebed is about 65% muck / 35% sand (vs. all-sand), so footing underwater may be softer/murkier than a typical sand-bottom beach, supervise closely.
Parking
Paid, Vehicle admission sticker required: WI resident daily $13 / annual $28 (senior resident daily $3); non-resident daily $16 / annual $50 (rates effective as of Aug 19, 2025)
This is a developed state-forest day-use/campground facility (beach, boat launch, picnic shelter, playground) reached by vehicle off County Road GGG, so a designated lot is expected, but no source described the lot's size or surface directly.
Restrooms
Yes
Toilets are available near the swim beaches per DNR (picnic tables, grills and toilets near the beaches); year-round flush toilets are also available at the Tamarack Trail trailhead on the forest-headquarters side of the lake.
Hours
Kettle Moraine State Forest-Northern Unit is open 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. year-round.
On the water
Restrictions: Gas-powered motors are prohibited on Mauthe Lake; a universal (ADA-accessible) kayak launch is provided at the boat launch.
Non-motorized watercraft (kayak, canoe, and by extension paddleboard) are permitted; the DNR rental concession itself rents only kayaks and canoes.
Rentals nearby
PaddleBreak Adventures LLC
Self-service kayak and canoe rental stations at the Mauthe Lake Recreation Area boat launch
On-site at the Mauthe Lake Recreation Area boat launch, Campbellsport, WI; company is based in West Bend, WI · Available seven days a week per WI DNR (specific daily hours not published in sources found)
Mauthe Lake Beach: FAQ
Does Mauthe Lake Beach charge a fee?
A Wisconsin state park system vehicle admission sticker is required to enter the recreation area; specific sticker price was not stated on the sourced pages.
Is Mauthe Lake Beach kid friendly?
Buoy-marked designated swim area on a gentle lake with a nearby playground for young children make it family-oriented, but there are no lifeguards on duty and the DNR lake-facts page reports the lakebed is about 65% muck / 35% sand (vs. all-sand), so footing underwater may be softer/murkier than a typical sand-bottom beach, supervise closely.
Do I need to hike to reach Mauthe Lake Beach?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Mauthe Lake Beach?
This is a developed state-forest day-use/campground facility (beach, boat launch, picnic shelter, playground) reached by vehicle off County Road GGG, so a designated lot is expected, but no source described the lot's size or surface directly.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Mauthe Lake Beach?
Non-motorized watercraft (kayak, canoe, and by extension paddleboard) are permitted; the DNR rental concession itself rents only kayaks and canoes.
When is the best time to visit Mauthe Lake Beach?
Summer (Memorial Day through Labor Day), which is when the beach's water quality is actively tested by DNR.
What are the rules at Mauthe Lake Beach?
Swimming is restricted to the marker-buoy designated swim area; no lifeguards are provided; pets, soaps, food, and beverages are prohibited within the marked swim area; day-use areas follow a carry-in, carry-out policy; gas-powered motors are prohibited on the lake; forest hours are 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. year-round.
What water body is Mauthe Lake Beach on?
Mauthe Lake Beach is on Mauthe Lake, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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