Lake Living
Sure, Madison is the capital of Wisconsin, and the largest university in the University of Wisconsin System is here, but without our lakes it wouldn't quite be the same. Lake Mendota and Lake Monona, the two largest lakes, form the Isthmus. Lake Wingra, the smallest of the lakes, is on the near west side of Madison, and Lakes Kegonsa and Waubesa are just south of Madison. That's a lot of lake. And though each has it's own personality, so to speak, we love them all. We play on them year-round and enjoy the beauty they reflect, especially in the warmer months. A great day in Madison involves playing on the lakes all day -whether you're kayaking, sailing, fishing, tubing and so on- watching the sunset on Lake Mendota, and wrapping up with the moon rays that dance on Lake Monona at night. Definitely lake living at its best.
See Our Current Lake Mendota Listings!
We've assembled all kinds of information and resources here organized by lake to help you find what you need. If you can't find what you're looking for here, give us a call and we'll make sure you get what you need.
Lake Mendota
Lake Facts*
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Lake Mendota is the largest and the deepest of the Yahara Chain of Lakes, with 21 miles of shorelines and a volume of 126 billion gallons of water
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9,847 acres
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It's 83 feet at its deepest point and has an average depth of 41 feet
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Lake Mendota is frozen an average of 119 days a year, freezing over around December 20 and breaking up by the 5th of April.
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Sixty-four percent of Lake Mendota's shoreline is owned by municipalities, the state and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
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Lake Mendota is the 5th most popular lake for recreational boating in Wisconsin.
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The Winnebago, who lived here when Europeans arrived, called this lake "wonk-sheck-ho-mik-la," meaning "where the Indian lies," based on an old Native American tale of love and transformation. In 1854, at the request of then-governor Leonard Farwell, the lakes were given pleasant-sounding Chippewa names to attract development. That's when Mendota got its current name, which means "large" or "great" in Chippewa.
* Facts pulled from a Lake Mendota Facebook page
For more on Lake Mendota, check out the Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Mendota
Boat Sales & Service
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Rutabaga (canoe, kayak & outdoors)
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Marine Contractors (Boat Hoists and Service)
| Deano Dock and Lift | |
| Manke Enterprises |
Local Sailing Organizations
| Hoofer's Sailing Club | Mendota Yacht Club |
| Madison Youth Sailing Foundation |
Restaurants
| The Edgewater | Captain Bill's |
| Mariner's Inn | Nau-Ti-Ga |
| Bishop's Bay Country Club (Private) |
Dane County Parks
| Tenney Locks Permit and Schedule |
Lake Monona
Lake Facts*
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Lake Monona is surrounded on three sides by Madison and on teh south side by Monona
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It is the second-largest of the four lakes along the Yahara River
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It forms south shore of the isthmus that forms downtown Madison
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The name 'Monona' is a Chippewa word believed to mean 'beautiful', although the lake was originally named by the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) 'Tchee-ho-bo-kee-xa-te-la' or 'Teepee Lake'.
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It measures 3,274 acres
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It has a mean depth of 27 ft and a maximum depth of 64 ft.
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Its volume is approximately 28 billion US gallons and it has 13 miles of shoreline, about 40% of which is publicly owned.
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Lake Monona is typically frozen for 107 days a year, give or take 10 days depending on the season
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Soul singer Otis Redding died when his plane crashed in the lake on December 10, 1967 due to a storm. He was on his way to a concert in Madison
Boat Sales and Service
| Madison Boat House | Skipper Bud's |
| Mazanet Marine | Rutabaga (canoe, kayak & outdoors) |
| Isthmus Sailboards and Paddle Sports |
Marine Contractors (Boat Hoists and Service)
| D. L. Anderson Company | Deano Dock and Lift |
| Manke Enterprises |
Local Sailing Organizations
| Lake Monona Sailing Club |
Restaurants
| Paisan's | Sardine |
| Monona Terrace | Bourbon Street Grille |
| Betty Lou Cruises |
Dane County Parks
| Tenney Locks Permit and Schedule |
Lake Waubesa
Lake Facts*
| Lake Waubesa Guide |
Boat Sales and Service
| Madison Boat House | Skipper Bud's |
| Mazanet Marine | Rutabaga (canoe, kayak & outdoors) |
| Isthmus Sailboards and Paddle Sports |
Marine Contractors (Boat Hoists and Service)
| D. L. Anderson Company | Deano Dock and Lift |
| Manke Enterprises |
Local Sailing Organizations
| Lake Waubesa Sailing Club |
Restaurants
| Christy's Landing | Green Lantern Restaurant & Bar |
| The Beach House Restaurant & Bar |
Dane County Parks
Tenney Locks Permit and Schedule