Fifteen Acres of Private Islands on Musser Lake — Boat Access Only
$599,900
Musser Lake sits in Price County, in the deep Northwoods of northern Wisconsin — the part of the state where lakes come close enough together that you can see two or three at once from the road. Phillips is the county seat, a quiet town with real character, and this property is about as far from downtown Phillips as the Northwoods gets — which, to be clear, is entirely the point.
Here's what that actually looks like: you arrive by boat, tie up at the property, and the lake is your front door. The cabin is small — 700 square feet, tongue-and-groove wood walls, a kitchen big enough to actually cook in after a day on the water — but the whole point of 15 private acres isn't the square footage inside. The bunkhouse handles guests. Hiking trails wind through the islands. There's a bridge connecting sections of the property, a bench at the point, and — this is the detail that changes the use case entirely — fiber internet. Stay disconnected or don't. Electricity is in. The infrastructure is there if you need it.
To put the math another way: $599,900 for approximately 15 acres, over 4,000 feet of private shoreline, and multiple islands on a Northwoods lake. Properties like this trade on rarity, not comps — there aren't many comparable island sales in Price County to set expectations against. Get in, ask about the mainland launch situation and any easements that come with boat access, and verify what's already permitted on the water before you get too attached to future plans. Listing courtesy of Coty Flessert and Michael Keller, Northwoods Realty.
Life at the Water
Water Access & Depth
Access to this property is by boat only — or by snowmobile and ice crossing in the winter months, which is either a dealbreaker or exactly what you're looking for. The shoreline runs over 4,000 feet across multiple islands, so there's no shortage of places to approach by water, but before closing get clear on what mainland launch infrastructure is included or nearby. You'll want a reliable takeout point on shore, and it's worth asking the agents directly about any easement or access rights that come with the sale for that purpose. Private island access means no drive-up surprises, but it also means every supply run and guest arrival is a boat trip — build that into your planning.
Recreation & Boating
Musser Lake is a Northwoods lake, which means the fishing is serious — walleye, muskie, bass, and panfish are all part of the local mix, and with 15 acres of private islands and 4,000-plus feet of shoreline you have access points no one else does. The island trails are already laid out, the bench at the point is already there, and the bridge between sections makes the whole property navigable on foot. For bigger days, Price County's chain of lakes connects Musser into a broader network worth exploring by kayak or canoe. Wildlife on a private island in the Northwoods runs to eagles, loons, herons, white-tailed deer, and black bear — all routine here.
Dock & Waterfront Features
The listing doesn't specify what dock infrastructure exists beyond the described boat access, so ask the agents directly what's in place before you assume. A property with 4,000-plus feet of shoreline has room for serious dock infrastructure, but Wisconsin DNR permits for over-water structures require navigating both the state process and any Price County requirements — worth starting that conversation early if a boathouse or extended dock is part of the plan. The good news is that this much shoreline gives you real options; the question is what's already permitted versus what still needs to be applied for.
Flood & Insurance Considerations
An island property on a Northwoods lake sits in a different flood-risk category than a river or coastal property, but the lake itself is the relevant margin — when Musser Lake rises, your island is the boundary. Pull the FEMA flood zone designation for the specific parcels before closing; island properties sometimes carry Special Flood Hazard Area designations that affect insurance costs significantly. Homeowner's and flood insurance on a seasonal-use island property without road access may require specialty underwriting — get a Wisconsin-licensed insurance agent to run the numbers specifically for unimproved-access island coverage before you finalize anything.
Beyond the Property Line
Local Flavor & Small-Town Character
Phillips is the kind of small Northwoods county seat that doesn't try to be anything other than what it is — a working town surrounded by lakes and forest, with a hardware store and a handful of solid local diners. And one genuinely extraordinary thing: the Concrete Park. Fred Smith, a retired lumberjack, spent the last 20 years of his life building over 200 life-size concrete and glass figures on his property right in Phillips — it's maintained now by the Price County Tourism department and it's one of the most singular pieces of folk art in the country. Worth the detour even if you're not buying a cabin nearby. The town serves as your supply run, your winter social base, and your community in the off-season — small enough to feel like an actual place rather than a tourism corridor.
Outdoor Recreation & Natural Surroundings
Price County puts you in the middle of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest, which covers 1.5 million acres across northern Wisconsin and runs in every direction from Musser Lake. Timm's Hill County Park — the highest point in Wisconsin at 1,951 feet, about 35 miles east near Ogema — is worth the drive in fall when the color runs across the ridgeline. The snowmobile trail network in Price County is one of the most extensive in the state: over 450 miles of groomed trails, with connections through Phillips into the larger statewide network. In summer, the ATV trail system picks up where the snowmobile routes leave off, using many of the same corridors.
Listed on Zillow
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