Michigan lakes

Michigan lakes make Michigan a haven for water lovers everywhere. With a reported 11,037 inland Michigan lakes and no two of them alike, Michigan is unique among states.

Michigan lakes include some of the largest bodies of fresh water in the world. Four of the five Great Lakes touch Michigan’s shores, giving it the nickname of  “The Great Lake State”.  Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Huron and Lake Erie provide many miles of beautiful beaches within driving distance from anywhere in the state. Michigan has the largest freshwater shoreline in the world. Only Lake Ontario only does not border the state of Michigan.

Michigan lakes provide year round activity for Michigan residents and residents of nearby states. The lakes come in more than the three sizes of: Small, Medium and Large. Some of the larger Michigan lakes that make Michigan unique are, Houghton Lake (20,044 acres),  Torch Lake (18,770 acres), Mullett Lake (17,360 acres), Lake Charlevoix (17,260 acres), Burt Lake (17,120 acres), Black Lake (10,130 acres), Crystal Lake (9,711 acres), Higgins Lake (9,600 acres), Hubbard Lake (8,850 acres), Elk Lake (7,730 acres),Glen Lake (6,285 acres), Grand Lake (5,660 acres) Long Lake (5,600 acres),  Lake Leelanau (5,370 acres),  Wallon Lake (4,320 acres),  Lake Mitchell (2,580 acres) and many other large lakes located in northern Michigan.

There are also many midsized Michigan lakes. Lakes like Chippewa Lake , Martiny Lakes, Randall Lake, Lake Macatawa, Douglas Lake, and the hundreds of other lakes that over five hundred acres in size make wonderful memories for many families for years to come.

Michigan has many other lakes, some named, some unnamed, each with it’s own unique beauty and character. Some are known for fishing, some for all sports activities, some are just waiting to be explored, discovered and enjoyed.

When it comes to Michigan lakes, the proof is in the numbers. Michigan is ranked third for the number of registered recreational boats in the county, behind only Florida and California. With 3,288 miles of lakeshore, Michigan has the second largest shoreline of any state, second only to Alaska. A person is never more than 6 miles from a natural water source in the state, or never further than 87 miles front the Great Lakes coastline. Michigan has some 150 lighthouse, more than any other state.

With all the negative talk out there about Michigan, the economic pressures that the state faces and the challenges that lie before us,  it is time for all of us to concentrate on all the assets that Michigan has that no other state in the country can begin to match.