Posted in Wisconsin Attractions, Nature, On The Water July 05, 2021 by Ben Jones

Wazee Lake Is A Scuba Park Hiding In Wisconsin That’s Perfect For Your Next Adventure

There’s a county park near Black River Falls that is so incredible, it draws scuba divers from hours away! Wazee Lake is a small manmade lake that’s actually the deepest inland lake in Wisconsin, and it’s a popular destination for dive training, deep diving, or just exploring what’s underwater. The lake offers a mix of depth and water clarity that’s hard to beat, and there are some interesting things to discover not far below the surface. Here’s why Wazee Lake is perfect for your next adventure.

Wazee Lake was originally a massive quarry. Taconite, a rock containing iron, was mined here from the mid-1960s until 1983. When steel prices crashed, the mine was closed and pumps that had been holding groundwater at bay were shut off. Water flooded the quarry at a rate of 800 gallons a minute... and soon there was a lake.

The lake is part of the Wazee Lake Recreation Area, a county park. Jackson County sells passes for people who want to go diving in the park. They are available for purchase when you arrive.

The lake covers 146 acres and there’s a soft sand swimming beach at one end. You’ll find divers at the lake, even when it’s cold or raining. More than 1,000 divers travel to the park every year.

While the lake is not large, there’s plenty to explore, including fish cribs that provide habitat for a variety of aquatic species.

There’s sunken boat in the lake, as well as platforms used for dive classes.

You’ll see remnants of the old mine, including some mining roads, a well as a variety of items left by divers.

You might even see a skeleton in the lake.

The “Sherwood Forest” section of Wazee is an eerie area of trees that was covered with water when the quarry flooded.

There a dive shop near the lake that offers classes – it’s also a full service dive store. Other dive shops in the region also offer classes and excursions at the lake. But if scuba diving is not your thing, here are some more places to go in Wisconsin if you’re feeling adventurous.

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Address: Wazee Lake, Brockway, WI 54615, USA

Wazee Lake Is A Scuba Park Hiding In Wisconsin That’s Perfect For Your Next Adventure

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