Every Lake
Lake Ripley
408 acres outside Cambridge, Wisconsin, fed by springs instead of a single river
- 7 ft · first step
- 15 ft
- 22 ft
- 29 ft
- 37 ft
- 44 ft · bottom
About Lake Ripley
Lake Ripley sits in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, a few miles from the town of Cambridge and about twenty miles east of Madison. The lake basin is glacial, carved by the ice sheets that retreated from southern Wisconsin roughly twelve thousand years ago, leaving behind the kettle and moraine terrain typical of the region. Spring inflow feeds the lake rather than a single dominant river, which keeps its water exchange comparatively slow and its clarity a frequent topic among residents.
The Lake Ripley Management District, one of the earlier lake districts organized in Wisconsin, has overseen water quality and shoreline policy on the lake for decades, and the surrounding cottages and year-round homes reflect that long institutional attention. Cambridge itself is known locally for its pottery studios and small-town main street, and the lake draws a mix of longtime Jefferson County families and Madison-area weekenders. Fishing, kayaking, and swimming are the common uses; it is not a lake known for large motorized traffic.
- 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.
Lake Ripley depth chart, in wood
This is a Lake Ripley depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 7 ft, 15 ft, 22 ft, 29 ft, 37 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 44 ft. The lake covers about 0.7 square miles. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Lake Ripley 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 Lake Ripley 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 Lake Ripley.
Lake Ripley 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 Lake Ripley; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Lake Ripley 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 44 ft
- 0.7 square miles of water
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
