Every Lake
Pistakee Lake
Part of Illinois' Chain O'Lakes, with 43 miles of shoreline packed into one basin.
- 8 ft · first step
- 16 ft
- 25 ft
- 33 ft
- 41 ft
- 49 ft · bottom
About Pistakee Lake
Pistakee Lake sits within the Chain O'Lakes, a network of interconnected lakes and channels in northeastern Illinois carved out as glaciers retreated at the end of the last ice age. The lake connects to the Fox River, which drains south toward the Illinois River. Its basin is shallow and open, spreading across roughly 5,600 acres with a maximum depth near 49 feet, making it one of the larger bodies of water in the chain.
The lake grew up around boating rather than year-round settlement. Towns like Fox Lake and McHenry line the surrounding waterways, and much of the shoreline is reachable only by water, dotted with marinas, boat clubs, and seasonal cottages. Pontoon boats and cruisers outnumber fishing skiffs on summer weekends, drawing visitors up from the Chicago suburbs. The lake's roughly 43 miles of shoreline wind around bays and channels rather than running in a single straight line.
- 18 shore towns named, with a star on each
- 1,680 roads engraved around the shore, 3 of them labeled
- 6 depth layers, each step engraved with its depth in feet
- Compass rose, title block with coordinates, max depth and area; keyhole hanger on the back
Turn it in your hands
Live 3D of the actual cut files — drag to orbit, pinch to zoom. Every road you see is engraved on the real thing.
Viewer not showing? Open it full screen.
Pistakee Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Pistakee Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 8 ft, 16 ft, 25 ft, 33 ft, 41 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 49 ft. The lake covers about 9.4 square miles, and 1680 shore roads are engraved around it. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Pistakee Lake map for the wall — or a gift
Most of these go to a cabin wall, a lake house entry, or a home office; a lot are gifts — the family that has been on Pistakee Lake for three generations, the retirement move, the first boat. The 12-inch is the desk-and-shelf size; the 24- and 30-inch boards read across a room. Add a line under the title and star your place on the shore, and it becomes the map of your Pistakee Lake.
Pistakee Lake map — the details
How big is the map?
Four sizes: 12, 17, 24 and 30 inches on the long side, from $149. Every size is cut from the same depth data of Pistakee Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Pistakee Lake is cut layer by layer from published bathymetric soundings — each layer of birch is a depth contour, so the shape of the bottom is the real one, not decorative.
Can I add my own place on it?
Yes. At checkout you can add a line under the title (a family name, a cabin name, a year) and star the spot on the shore that matters to you.
How long does it take?
Made to order in Waterford, Pennsylvania and shipped in 7–10 days; shipping is free in the lower 48.
Can you make a lake that isn't listed?
Any lake in the United States — we hold depth data for 104,419 of them. Search for yours; if it isn't built yet we build it when you order.
- 6 depth layers down to 49 ft
- 9.4 square miles of water
- 1680 shore roads engraved, 3 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
