Scuba Diving in Wisconsin, United States

45 mapped sites

Destination guide

Scuba diving in Wisconsin, United States

Wisconsin, United States has 45 public dive sites on PickADive. Use the list below to compare mapped sites by depth, access, difficulty, ratings, and reviews before opening a site page.

Open map view Check condition context

Public sites: 45; Indexed destination pages
Reviews: 0; Catalog review count
Rating: Building; Reviews are still growing
Common access: Boat; 36 dive sites

Seasonal patterns

Best months, historically in Wisconsin, United States

Typical conditions by month across dive sites in Wisconsin, United States— historical patterns, not a forecast.

Jan57%
Feb52%
Mar43%
Apr44%
May73%
Jun71%
Jul86%
Aug82%
Sep83%
Oct59%
Nov50%
Dec47%

From 45 sites’ typical conditions · historical typicals, not a forecast

Best time to dive Wisconsin, United States: full month-by-month data →

Best dive sites in Wisconsin, United States

Showing 1–24 of 45

Arctic Wreck

Wisconsin · 3–4.6 m

The 1881 ice-breaking tug Arctic served Goodrich Transportation for 49 years before sinking in 1930. The wreck lies partially sand-covered in 10-15 ft of water in two large sections about 800 ft apart, 1.5 miles northeast of the Manitowoc Breakwater Light, within the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary. The stempost rises seven feet from the sand on the northern section; the southern section holds the rudder, bilge structure and boiler. An easy boat, kayak or snorkel visit.

Boat entry

Australasia Shipwreck

Wisconsin · 3–6.1 m

The Australasia, a 285-ft wooden bulk steamer, burned and was lost in October 1896 while carrying 2,200 tons of coal, grounding south of Jacksonport near Cave Point. The remaining wreckage lies in about 20 ft of water 350 yards off the Whitefish Dunes State Park beach, with bow and stern sections partially intact. A seasonal WHS mooring buoy marks the site, which is popular with beginner divers, snorkelers and kayakers.

Shore + boat

Big Bay sloop Wreck

Wisconsin · Up to 7.6 m

Big Bay sloop Wreck is a wreck dive in United States. The site is reached by boat. Rated intermediate based on available data.

IntermediateBoat entry

Bullhead Point Historical and Archeological District Wreck

Wisconsin · 0–3 m

Bullhead Point in Sturgeon Bay holds the abandoned hulls of three limestone-trade vessels — the steamers Empire State and Ida Corning and the schooner-barge Oak Leaf — burned and abandoned by the Sturgeon Bay Stone Company in the 1930s. The wrecks lie in 0-10 ft of water just off the city park and are partly visible above the surface. One of Wisconsin's easiest shipwreck shore dives and a popular snorkel and kayak stop.

Shore entry

Byron shipwreck

Wisconsin · Up to 41 m

The Byron is an unusually small (35-ft) mid-19th-century schooner lying in 135 ft of water about twelve miles southeast of Sheboygan, within the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Discovered in 1977 when a commercial fisherman snagged the wreck, it is today almost completely covered by invasive mussels. A deep, dark, cold boat dive for experienced divers.

AdvancedBoat entry

Christina Nilsson Wreck

Wisconsin · 3–4.6 m

schooner that sank in Lake Michigan

IntermediateBoat entry

Daniel Lyons Wreck

Wisconsin · Up to 33.5 m

The schooner Daniel Lyons sank in October 1878 after being rammed by the schooner Kate Gillett, settling in 110 ft of water eight miles northeast of Algoma. The wreck is somewhat broken but nearly all hull structure and rigging are represented, with frequently excellent visibility (40-100 ft) that makes it a favorite of advanced divers and underwater photographers. A WHS seasonal mooring buoy marks the site.

AdvancedBoat entry

Fleetwing Wreck

Wisconsin · —

shipwreck in Wisconsin, USA

IntermediateBoat entry

Frank O'Connor Wreck

Wisconsin · 13–19.8 m

The 301-ft wooden bulk carrier Frank O'Connor caught fire and sank on October 3, 1919, while carrying 3,000 tons of coal, settling in 65 ft of water about 2.6 miles north-northeast of Cana Island. Its museum-quality triple-expansion steam engine and boilers rise more than 20 ft off the bottom, making it one of Door County's signature wreck dives. Two WHS seasonal mooring buoys mark the bow and engine.

IntermediateBoat entry

Gallinipper Wreck

Wisconsin · 61–66 m

The 95-ft schooner Gallinipper (built 1833) capsized in a squall on July 7, 1851, and is the oldest shipwreck yet found in Wisconsin waters. It sits upright and remarkably intact in 215 ft of water (deck at ~200 ft) roughly 8-10 nautical miles off the coast between Manitowoc and Sheboygan, with carved bow, bowsprit and both wood-stock anchors in place. A cold, dark trimix dive for experienced technical divers only; listed on the National Register in 2010.

ExpertBoat entry

Grape Shot Wreck

Wisconsin · 1.5–2.4 m

The schooner Grape Shot, built in Buffalo in 1855 with an eagle figurehead, grounded on the north side of Plum Island in a November 1867 gale. Its scattered remains lie in about 8 ft of water on rock and sand 0.18 miles northwest of the Plum Island U.S. Coast Guard station in the Death's Door passage. A shallow boat/kayak dive and snorkel best done in calm weather given the passage's notorious currents.

Boat entry

Hanover Wreck

Wisconsin · 5–8.2 m

The schooner Hanover, a 100-ft grain carrier built in 1853, grounded on a shoal south of the Strawberry Islands during a November 1867 storm while running light from Chicago to Oconto, and settled in 27 ft of water. Rediscovered and documented in 2014 and added to the National Register in 2015, the wreck's bow, centerboard trunk, stern and rudder are visible in clear water, though sand and mussel shells cover varying amounts of the site from year to year. An easy boat/snorkel dive near Fish Creek.

Boat entry

Hetty Taylor shipwreck

Wisconsin · Up to 32 m

The schooner Hetty Taylor (1874) capsized in a squall and sits on a sandy bottom in 105 ft of water five miles east of Sheboygan, within the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Summer water temperatures run 40-60°F with visibility from 10 to 50 ft. The Wisconsin Historical Society installs a seasonal mooring buoy; the dive is recommended for advanced divers.

AdvancedBoat entry

Home Wreck

Wisconsin · Up to 50 m

The two-masted schooner Home (built 1843) sank after colliding with the schooner Fiske on October 17, 1858, and lies upright and mostly intact in about 165 ft of water off Centerville, between Manitowoc and Sheboygan. Found by divers in 1981, it is the second-oldest shipwreck located in Wisconsin waters; the recovered foremast is displayed at Rogers Street Fishing Village in Two Rivers. A cold, deep technical dive within the Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast NMS.

ExpertBoat entry

Iris Wreck

Wisconsin · 0–1.2 m

The scow-schooner Iris (1866) was deliberately run hard aground in Jackson Harbor, Washington Island, by its captain in March 1913. The hull lies upright and embedded in less than 4 ft of water between the Rock Island ferry dock and the Ellefson fishing piers, with stern structure protruding above the surface; the lower hull is partly buried under dredge spoil. A historic snorkeling and viewing site rather than a scuba dive — mind the adjacent ferry traffic.

Shore entry

Island City Wreck

Wisconsin · 41–43 m

Sunken American schooner

IntermediateBoat entry

Joys Wreck

Wisconsin · Up to 3 m

steamboat that sank in Lake Michigan

IntermediateBoat entry

Kate Kelly Wreck

Wisconsin · Up to 16.8 m

The three-masted schooner Kate Kelly sank in a violent spring storm on May 13, 1895, while carrying hemlock railroad ties from Alpena to Chicago. The wreck lies broken and scattered in 55 ft of water about two miles off Wind Point near Racine, marked by a seasonal WHS mooring buoy. A popular sport-diver site served by local charters and documented with a high-resolution 3D photogrammetry model.

IntermediateBoat entry

Light Vessel No. 57 Wreck

Wisconsin · 1.8–3.7 m

Light Vessel No. 57, a 90-ft wooden lightship built in Toledo in 1891, served Lake Michigan stations until 1924, when it was sold for scrap and abandoned off Milwaukee. Its remains — the only known lightship wreck in Wisconsin waters, NRHP-listed in 1996 — lie mostly buried in silt in 6-12 ft of water about 600 ft south of the north tip of South Shore Park. An easy if low-relief shore dive/snorkel with sections of oak hull protruding from the sediment.

Shore entry

Louisiana Wreck

Wisconsin · 0.5–5.5 m

The wooden freight steamer Louisiana (1887) burned during the Great Storm of November 1913 in Washington Harbor; all crew survived a storm that sank 20 Great Lakes ships. The wreck lies near Schoolhouse Beach off Washington Island with its stern in 18 ft of water and bow nearly reaching the surface. Shallow depth, clear protected water, abundant structure and resident smallmouth bass make it a favorite of beginning divers and snorkelers.

Shore + boat

Lucerne Wreck

Wisconsin · 3.8–6.1 m

The Lucerne, one of the largest three-masted schooners on the lakes, foundered with all hands in a November 1886 gale while carrying iron ore; rescuers found three sailors frozen in the rigging. The wreck lies about 200 yards off Long Island in 20 ft of Lake Superior water, with the centerboard top at 12.5 ft, inside Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. A buoyed, shallow, historically powerful dive — bring thermal protection for Superior's cold water.

Boat entry

Lumberman Wreck

Wisconsin · 17.7–19.8 m

The three-masted lumber schooner Lumberman (1862) capsized in a sudden squall on April 6, 1893, off Oak Creek south of Milwaukee, sinking in about 65 ft of water. Rediscovered in 1983, the mostly intact hull at 58-65 ft has become southern Lake Michigan's most popular wreck dive, marked by a WHS mooring buoy and served by Milwaukee charters.

IntermediateBoat entry

Marquette Wreck

Wisconsin · Up to 66 m

The wooden steamer Marquette (1881) foundered in 1903 while trying to reach Michigan Island and lies in 215 ft of Lake Superior water about five miles east of the island. Its superstructure tore free in the sinking; the hull is progressively broken from the nearly intact bow to the stern, with an upright engine and propeller, much of it covered in iron ore cargo. Located in 2004 and documented in 2006 by GLSPS divers — an extremely cold, remote trimix dive for expert teams only.

ExpertBoat entry

Meridian Wreck

Wisconsin · Up to 12.2 m

The two-masted schooner Meridian (1848), a veteran of Wisconsin's lumber trade, was lost in an October 1873 storm and lies broken into three major sections in about 40 ft of water near the Strawberry Islands off Fish Creek. The 105-ft main section includes an almost intact bow and port side, with the stempost base at 39 ft. Surveyed by the Wisconsin Historical Society and covered by a WHS dive guide slate; NRHP-listed in 1996.

Boat entry

Plan a dive in Wisconsin, United States

Compare nearby sites

Wisconsin has 45 public dive sites in the PickADive catalog. Start with the map when coastline, nearby alternatives, and travel distance matter.

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Match depth and difficulty

Current public data shows 12 intermediate and 7 advanced dive sites. Listed depths range from about 0m to 99m where available. Boat is the most common listed access type. Use those signals as a starting point, then confirm the plan against training, equipment, and current local guidance.

Check conditions close to the dive

PickADive can help with research and comparison, but it does not certify that a dive is safe today. Weather, current, visibility, entry, boat traffic, and local rules can change quickly.

How condition context works

Common questions about diving in Wisconsin, United States

What are the best dive sites in Wisconsin, United States?

Use the ranked list on this page to compare 45 public dive sites in Wisconsin. PickADive highlights ratings, reviews, depth, access type, difficulty, and mapped location so you can move from destination research to a specific site page. 3 dive sites are recorded with shore access and 36 with boat access.

Are there advanced dives in Wisconsin?

Yes. PickADive currently marks 14 dive sites in Wisconsin as advanced or expert level. That includes 7 marked expert. Listed depths in the catalog reach about 99m at the deepest sites, and 36 dive sites are recorded as boat access. These dives deserve extra attention to depth, access, current, visibility, and local guidance.

What depths can I expect in Wisconsin?

Listed PickADive depth data for Wisconsin ranges from about 0m to 99m. Both shallow shore entries and deeper boat sites appear in the catalog: 3 dive sites are recorded with shore access and 36 with boat access. Use that as a research starting point, then verify current conditions and site-specific guidance.

Can I see Wisconsin dive sites on a map?

Yes. Use the map link on this page to compare Wisconsin dive sites by location, coastline, nearby alternatives, and individual site details.