Quagga mussels have been detected in Geneva Lake, marking the first time this invasive species has been documented in a Wisconsin inland lake. This finding is especially concerning given Geneva Lake’s reputation for its clear, deep waters and scenic beauty.

In the event of a wildfire in your area, firefighters may need to reach your home. If firefighters cannot safely access your home, they will find an alternate way to get to you that may take longer — and when fighting fire, every second counts.

Help Firefighters Reach You

To enable firefighters and other emergency vehicles to locate and reach your home quickly, it’s important to establish a safe route with adequate driveway access.

When it comes to nature sounds, there’s nothing like the shrill scream of cicadas announcing the hot, dog days of summer. I’m not predicting the weather, but get ready for 2024. According to experts, this May & June we’re about to experience the largest emergence known anywhere when a brood of bulging, red-eyed insects will emerge after 17 years out of sight.

A reader of LAKE VIEWS sent a suggestion advocating for Wisconsin’s Boating Safety Course. It’s not just for kids 12-16 years old. Anyone born in 1989 or after is required by law to have successfully completed a course, and to carry a validated card when operating a motorized boat on Lake Beulah. Actually, just sitting outside and watching boaters on a busy weekend, it’s not hard to notice there are plenty of uneducated and therefore dangerous boaters. For example, what is a boat driver thinking when allowing passengers to sit on the bow while bouncing across the water at a high speed?

We encourage every homeowner in the Lake Beulah area to take action now. Please take a walk around your property and look for the Spongy Moth egg masses and caterpillars, which will be emerging now. The caterpillars and egg masses are easy to identify (see photos). The caterpillars are voracious eaters. They will dine on the leaves of aspen, birch, crabapple, hawthorn, linden, mountain ash, oak, willow, dogwood, green and white ash, honey locust, silver and red maple, tulip tree. Blue spruce and white pine can occasionally be attacked.

Waves. They’ve been a part of Lake Beulah since the glaciers melted thousands of years ago. For most of time, waves were the result of wind, but in the last 100 years, motor boats have also made waves on the lake. Mostly, if they were thought about at all, boat waves were considered to be just a nuisance part of lake living, but recent water sport innovations have found a way to harness them for fun.

At first, wave enthusiasts found they were great for jumping with a jet ski, or flying over on a tube or kneeboard. And while the boat waves were a nuisance at times, lake folks tolerated them as a part of the fun of being on the water.

My grandparents, Charles and Emily Kaska, purchased property on Humphrey Lane in 1936. The only structure on the property was a boat house that once belonged to one of the big homes on the lane. My grandparents purchased the wing of a home nearby and moved the wing on top of the boathouse creating their small summer cottage. We have the movie film showing the home being rolled into position using large round logs. My grandfather loved to fish and work in his vegetable garden. My grandmother enjoyed tending her flower gardens around the property.

A key gauge of the health of any lake is the quality of its fishery. Lake Beulah always has, and continues to be known, for having a healthy fish population. Fishermen come from all around to fish Lake Beulah.

For many years, fishermen have competed in the Tuesday Night Bass Fishing Tournament. Starting out at 6:30PM, they would fish until 9:30PM, returning to weigh and record their catch. All fishermen must have an operating live well and fish are released after they are measured. Over the years, some nice fish were caught with the largest being 24” and almost 7 lbs.

One of the blessings of lake life is the wide variety of trees we share. Trees can be a blessing and a curse, and like most everything they require maintenance and eventually die.

Years ago I’d heard morel mushrooms will grow near dead Elm trees, and so when I found my first one while mowing our lawn, I looked up. Yep, I hadn’t noticed one of our 50-foot Elms towering over our driveway was dead...and so I tell the story of my $700 mushroom, tasty but expensive.

As the snow blankets the shores of Lake Beulah and the holiday season envelops us in its warmth, we extend our heartfelt wishes to our cherished community. Christmas is a time of joy, and as we bid farewell to 2023, we reflect on the incredible moments shared by the tranquil waters. Here's a heartfelt message of gratitude and anticipation for the festivities ahead.

As the winter frost blankets Lake Beulah, the allure of frozen landscapes draws both residents and visitors to its icy expanse. While winter activities on the frozen lake can be exhilarating, safety should always be the top priority. In this guide, we'll delve into essential tips for navigating the chill and ensuring a safe and enjoyable winter experience on Lake Beulah.

Boats and boat activity are an important issue with regard to Lake Beulah’s aquatic ecosystem. The last 100 years have seen a tremendous increase in the number of motor boats on Lake Beulah. Not only are there more boats, but they are larger and with bigger engines than ever.

Have you seen a beaver swim past right around dusk? I have. For many summers, almost every night, a beaver swims by around 8:00PM. Where the critter came from and where it is going, I don’t know. Some lake folks, whether having seen a beaver or not, are aware of their presence because they notice trees missing from their property. Not good!