Kosciusko County lakes
Living on the Lakes
Lake country, one lake at a time.
A third or more of my lake buyers come from the Chicago area and elsewhere in Illinois, and many more from Indianapolis — so I'm used to working around long drives and tight weekends. The Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams has catalogued nearly 100 lakes in Kosciusko County. Here are 28 of them, grouped the way locals think about them, with the size, depth and boating rule for each — and my plain-spoken take on what living there is like.
- Lake WawaseeIndiana's largest natural lake — big water, sailboat racing and a famous Fourth of July.
- Syracuse LakeA smaller lake right in Syracuse, connected to Wawasee by a channel.
- Lake TippecanoeIndiana's deepest natural lake, near Leesburg and North Webster.
- Barbee Chain of LakesSeven connected lakes, about 849 acres combined, between Warsaw and North Webster.
- Webster LakeNorth Webster's lake, and home of the Dixie sternwheeler since 1929.
- Winona LakeThe lake beside Warsaw, next to Grace College and the Village at Winona.
- Chapman LakesBig and Little Chapman, just east of Warsaw.
- Dewart LakeA deep, clear lake between Leesburg and Syracuse.
01Group
Wawasee & Syracuse
Indiana's largest natural lake, its channel-connected neighbor, and a quiet private lake to the south.
- 3,006 acres · 81 ft maxLake WawaseeNo limit listed. Indiana's largest natural lake — big water, sailboat racing and a famous Fourth of July.
- 411 acres · 34 ft maxSyracuse LakeNo limit listed. A smaller lake right in Syracuse, connected to Wawasee by a channel.
- 190 acres · 55 ft maxPapakeechie LakeNo motorized boats. A private, no-motor lake just south of Wawasee.
02Group
Tippecanoe chain
Indiana's deepest natural lake, with James Lake to the east and Oswego Lake to the west.
- 786 acres · 122 ft maxLake TippecanoeNo limit listed. Indiana's deepest natural lake, near Leesburg and North Webster.
- 278 acres · 62 ft maxJames LakeNo limit listed. Little Tippy — the eastern gateway to Lake Tippecanoe.
- 78 acres · 37 ft maxOswego LakeNo limit listed. The west end of the Tippecanoe system.
03Group
Barbee Chain
Seven connected lakes, about 849 acres combined, between Warsaw and North Webster.
Barbee Chain of Lakes overview- 303 acres · 45 ft maxBig Barbee LakeNo 10 mph limit. The largest lake in the Barbee Chain, and the only one without the 10 mph limit.
- 74 acres · 26 ft maxLittle Barbee Lake10 mph. A 10 mph link in the Barbee Chain between Big Barbee and Irish Lake.
- 137 acres · 28 ft maxKuhn Lake10 mph. A shallow, 10 mph Barbee Chain lake feeding Big Barbee.
- 182 acres · 36 ft maxIrish Lake10 mph. The crossroads of the Barbee Chain, near North Webster.
- 105 acres · 63 ft maxSechrist Lake10 mph. The deepest lake in the Barbee Chain.
- 36 acres · 27 ft maxSawmill Lake10 mph. A small Barbee Chain lake where Irish and Sechrist meet Grassy Creek.
- 12 acres · 17 ft maxBanning Lake10 mph. The smallest lake in the Barbee Chain.
04Group
North Webster
Webster Lake and the Dixie, Indiana's oldest sternwheel paddleboat.
05Group
Warsaw lakes
Lakes in and around Warsaw, from Center Lake downtown to the Chapman Lakes just east.
Chapman Lakes overview- 571 acres · 79 ft maxWinona LakeNo limit listed. The lake beside Warsaw, next to Grace College and the Village at Winona.
- 120 acres · 43 ft maxCenter LakeNo limit listed. A spring-fed lake in the heart of Warsaw.
- 228 acres · 35 ft maxPike LakeNo limit listed. A Warsaw lake with a boat ramp, shoreline fishing and a public beach.
- 504 acres · 39 ft maxBig Chapman LakeNo limit listed. The larger of the two Chapman Lakes, about 2 miles east of Warsaw.
- 177 acres · 32 ft maxLittle Chapman LakeNo limit listed. The smaller Chapman Lake, reached through Big Chapman.
06Group
North county
Dewart Lake and Waubee Lake, between Leesburg, Syracuse and Milford.
07Group
South & west county
Smaller lakes near Palestine, Silver Lake, Pierceton and Seward Township.
- 290 acres · 27 ft maxPalestine LakeNo limit listed. A shallow, open lake in the town of Palestine.
- 155 acres · 67 ft maxYellow Creek LakeNo limit listed. A deep Seward Township lake whose water clarity has been improving.
- 155 acres · 61 ft maxBeaver Dam LakeOpen boating 1 to 4 pm; 10 mph before and after. A Seward Township lake with an afternoon open-boating window.
- 40 acres · 41 ft maxLoon Lake10 mph. A small 10 mph lake reached through Beaver Dam Lake.
- 102 acres · 31 ft maxSilver LakeNo limit listed. The lake in the town of Silver Lake.
- 180 acres · 30 ft maxHoffman Lake10 mph. A private, 10 mph campground lake in Prairie Township.
- 141 acres · 42 ft maxRidinger LakeNo limit listed. A private lake near Pierceton that drains toward the Barbee Chain.
Lake guides & tools
- All lakes comparedA sortable table of every lake
- Best lakes for skiing & tubingSki listed, no 10 mph rule
- Quiet 10 mph lakesPontoon pace, fishing and paddling
- Lakes with public beachesWhere to swim
- Biggest & deepest lakesRanked by acres and depth
- Kosciusko County lake FAQ20 common questions answered
- Find Your Lake QuizSeven questions, instant match
Not sure where to start?
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Coming from Chicago or Indianapolis? Buying a lake home from a distance
Lake data: Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams, Grace College. Figures are approximate; confirm boating rules with Indiana DNR.
Heather Sanders · REALTOR®
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