OT: Nicest Michigan lakes
Looking for recommendations for some absolutely beautiful clear/scenic lakes in Michigan. I would like to hit a bunch in the next few years and experience a few.
About 5 years ago, i went to North Higgins lake (2 years in a row) and was completely underwhelmed. I heard so many great things about it and was excited to see the beautiful water. I was so disappointed. A few people have said i should go to South Higgins over the years. So 3 weeks ago, i did, and oh boy i was not disappointed. It was amazing. I cannot believe the difference between North and South Higgins - and quite frankly cannot understand how one is so beautiful and clear and the other not since it is the same body of water.
My favorite lake and a step above Higgins is Torch Lake. I have been there 4 times in the last 3 years. Its amazing.
Does anyone have any other clear/scenic lakes in Michigan they highly recommend? (no, not erie!) I have heard there is a lake next to or on Sleeping Bear Dunes that is a must see.
Mullett Lake. Lived there four years 25 years ago.
I can confirm the beauty of Mullet lake. Stayed the campground with a little fishing boat in my 20's and I didn't know that any lake in Michigan had such crystal clear water. The fishing was terrible but it seemed like a cool lake with some no-wake inlets that had pull-your-boat up bars on the lake. Definitely one of those places I told myself to come back to when I could afford more than a student fishing trip.
Public beaches? Any sandbars?
Its deep at 145 feet like Higgins, and far north - pics of water look amazing.
Personally, I prefer Burt over Mullett but both are great.
I can confirm. I grew up in Cheboygan and spent nearly everyday on Mullett. Sandy bottom and access to the Great Lakes as well as the rest of the inland waterway
Glen Lake gets a lot of hype, rightly so, along with Torch. But personally I haven't seen a more beautiful lake than Walloon outside of Petoskey. It's a kind of sprawling spider-shaped lake with lots of little bays and lagoons. Water is emerald clear on a sunny day and it's surrounded by hills and ridges.
Unfortunately the realtors know this too. Property on Walloon is incredibly expensive and difficult to find because a lot of the homes have been in family possession for generations. This was one of the first "up north" lakes that became a destination for wealthy families in the late 19th early 20th centuries. Lots of old money. The area was a stomping ground for a young Ernest Hemingway when he was a boy and many of his "Nick Adams Stories" were set there.
Lake of the Clouds in the Porcupine Mountains would be my pick. It's got an almost Scottish highlands feel to it.
My favorite get away in Michigan Is the porkys. Great place to get away but not sure it’s my favorite lake in Michigan.
Beautiful lake and area
They don't compare to most of the lakes everyone knows but Emerald/Sylvan lake is Newaygo County is pretty amazing. Water is super clear. They are private lakes and kind of a pain to get back to, but I was pretty stunned when I first saw them.
I can attest to those being some pretty nice lakes. I grew up nearby and the family homestead where my dad has some land isn't even 1/2 mile from Emerald.
Personally I've always liked Silver Lake over by Hart. Sand dunes in the background, clear water, just always loved it.
Glen Lake is the one near Sleeping Bear Dunes. Very clear and probably the most beautiful lake I've seen in Michigan. You can look down at it from points in Sleeping Bear Dunes and see the varying shades of blue as the lake gets deeper. Truly spectacular.
Can you compare to Torch and/or Higgins?
If that is the one, it was highly recommended to me as the site against the dunes was amazing i was told.
More beautiful than Higgins IMHO. There is no vista to view Higgins from Sleeping Bear the sand dunes.
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Here is a picture of Glen Lake from a vacation a few years ago. I personally haven't been on it, but it is one of the prettiest I've seen in the state.
I will 2nd Glenn lake...everyone was asking if we are in the Caribbean. We have a slip on Torch and while it is a beautiful lake, it is so big you have to treat it like a great lake. 75% of the time it is so choppy and wavy and cold! It is difficult with kids, since one of them gets sea sick! Just my opinion. I have also heard a lot about Crystal Lake in Frankfort. Long Lake in Traverse is awesome because you can beach you boat on the Islands, but does not compare to crystal clear water like the above mentioned lakes.
Edit: Forgot to mention Walloon...also beautiful! Rent a wake surf boat from Tommy's.
We stay on Long Lake for a week each August and I love it. The water is warm, the islands are nice, and the fishing is good (on a boat though, I've never caught anything from shore). The south part of the lake is usually quiet and calm.
Also, crystal clear water isn't always a good thing. That often means there are a lot of zebra mussels and if the water is too clear the fish don't have anywhere to hide.
Not sure if zebra mussels are the reason for why Torch Lake is so clear, but there is very little vegetation for fish to hide in. I've got a Sun Tracker fishing barge pontoon & I've had some of the best anglers with me come up empty. My brother-in law caught a couple whitefish from his shanty & he became an instant family legend.
I’m pretty sure Torch’s clearness preceded the arrival those obnoxious invasive mussels. It might be an urban legend (or maybe a more rural legend in this instance) but I had heard the lake was originally named “Torch” related to the local Native Americans’ ability to fish at night by torchlight given that the water was so clear.
You're right the lake's reputation for being clear and clean far predates the invasive mussels.
National Geographic voted Torch Lake the 3rd most beautiful lake in the World a few years ago.
Little glen is pretty shallow and looks beautiful, stays warm because it’s shallower of the two. Big glen is very deep with great fishing
Lake Charlevoix. Beautiful and peaceful.
I came here to say Lake Charlevoix.
Walloon Lake is also pretty
Yes. Lake Charlevoix and Walloon lake are very pretty. We are headed to Young SP for 10 days starting tomorrow.
Others I can confirm as mentioned already - Torch, Elk, Mullet, Glenn, South Higgins, Burt Lakes
Summer time in Northern Michigan is absolutely beautiful!
You can never go wrong with Higgins Lake - love the fact that you can walk out several hundred yards on clean sand.
At nearby Houghton Lake - there are several nice views, especially during the annual Bud Bash outside the Limberlost Bar. Damn COVID ruins everything...
Sadly COVID has not cancelled Bud Bash...
NSFW
Lake Charlevoix is truly breathtaking. Walloon is quite nice as well.
Walloon is great. Especially with the history (Hemingway's lake).
Crystal Lake (west and a little south of Traverse City) is my nominee. Beautiful hills and blue water.
Walloon and Lake Charlevoix are my runner-ups.
Long Lake and Silver Lake are both between TC and Interlochen. Used to camp there alot as a kid. So many nice lakes in MI.
+1 for Crystal Lake. Absolutely beautiful. Doesn’t hurt that on any weekend, other than the 4th of July, you might have 10 boats max on the water. Several times Memorial Day weekend/week, we were the only boat on the water during sunset.
Crystal Lake is great, plus you can visit Matt's (Homesure Lending dude) brewpub in Beulah. Just north of Crystal Lake is Platte Lake. Platte Lake is smaller but really nice and you can canoe all the way to Lake Michigan on the Platte River.
I'll second Crystal Lake. Beautiful clear lake and the "drop off" to deep water is obvious. We called it the Blue Line.
I spent a lot of summers on crystal lake, and have a lot of great memories. Unfortunately I got bad swimmers itch one year, and it was the worst feeling of my life
Heron Lake in Holly at the Holly Recreation site. It’s a MI park.
Live 15 minutes away from it. We go during the week after work when it’s not busy. It feels like we’re on vacation but it’s at home.
If that is your answer, in the great state of Michigan, then you need to consider traveling farther North. That is a pond compared to Burt, Charlevoix, and Mullett.
I am blessed to live within a few miles of Charlevoix and Walloon, and have a slip a little farther north and routinely hit Burt and Mullett. This part of the state is a wonderful place to not only visit, but live
My username.
Love it up there. We have a family place on the river that connects to Torch River, then the lake.
Cool Dan
Torch.
End Thread.
(nah, just kidding, Michigan is stocked with great/beautiful lakes).
While we're in the neighborhood, I like nearby Elk Lake, too.
There are so many excellent lakes in Michigan. Hard to choose. But one of my very favorites is Douglas Lake. We just spent a week on the lake this month and greatly enjoyed it. Very clean and 40% of the lakefront is owned by the U-M Biological Station - so the lake is pretty uncrowded all the time. If you're up there, make SURE to visit the Douglas Lake Bar and Steakhouse. Great food and right on the lake. Walloon Lake is also gorgeous. Our daughter worked at Camp Michigania for two summers and we were amazed by how nice it is. Have to agree too with those who like Glen Lake. Not a huge lake, but incredibly beautiful.
I know this is kind of a dumb answer, but I like the water on Lake Huron best. You get some good beaches but without the wind/waves you get on Lake Michigan, at least in my experiences.
As far as our Great Lakes, you are right. IMO Michigan is the nicest, but Huron is a little warmer and less waves, so i don't blame anyone who prefers it. Oscoda and north is amazing (or even Tawas and north of it).
My problem with Huron is my location. I live in the Bay area, and the Saginaw bay is absolutely horrible. Bay City State Park/Boaters beach is the dirtiest spot outside of Lake Eerie.
Turnip Rock and facing the straits from Drummond Island...love Lake Huron!
In no particular order, imo the 5 finest lakes in the state are:
Torch
Walloon
Elk
Crystal
Charlevoix
You can argue all day long about which is nicest but that depends on perspective and what is important to you. All 5 are tremendous - as are many others.
User name generally checks out here.
My 5 year old's favorite lake is Skegemog.
Lake Charlevoix and Walloon are the top 2 in my mind. Both are amazing.
Lake Augusta..... one of the most exclusive lakes in the state.