This cache was placed for the 13th annual Meet Me At Lake event.
Welcome to Wazee Lake County Park. At 1300 acres this is the largest of the Jackson County Parks. At 355 feet deep it is the clearest and deepest inland lake in Wisconsin. The lake is very popular for scuba diving. Visibility in the lake averages 30-40 feet during the summer months. Water temperatures run from approximately 70 degrees surface temperatures to 40 degrees below the thermocline.
The lake is the former site of a Jackson County iron mine. Although all machinery was removed from the quarry upon its closure, remnants of the mining operation still remain visible underwater. A series of circular haul roads wind around the pit, where divers often find artifacts including chains, pipes; taconite pellets, and iron shovel teeth. Massive boulders and shear cliff faces create challenging and interesting features for the more experienced recreational diver. Novice divers will enjoy the gradually descending roadways, which are found throughout the quarry. Divers may encounter several groups of fish cribs as well as four platforms used by instructors for training new divers. These were added to the site to increase the diver's enjoyment, and to improve the habitat for the various fish species that are found in the lake. These species include rainbow, brook and brown trout, bluegills, suckers, catfish, and small mouth bass.
Other activities exist on site for additional recreational enjoyment. Camping (rustic sites),many miles of hiking and gravel surfaced bicycle trails wind through a mosaic of prairie and forests. There are several scenic overlooks as well as picnic and sanitary facilities, a large beach and boat launch.
Many species of wildlife call this area home. Look around while you seek this cache and you will see many deer trails right near the cache. If you are lucky you may even encounter an elk, which were reintroduced to the area in 2015. Todays herd is estimated to be bewtween 120 and 150.
Please rehide cache as you found it so others can enjoy the search also.
Thanks to Jeremy Breheim, Park Manager, for permission to place this cache