Martiny Chain of Lakes

• Public

• Public Beach
• Boat Launch

The Martiny Chain of Lakes is one of those well kept Michigan secrets. As a part of the Martiny Lake State Game Area,  wildlife abounds in it’s  2500 wooded acres.

Mecosta County is home to one of my favorite Michigan lakes, Martiny Lakes. Martiny Lakes is actually a chain of several connected lakes: Lost Lake, Tubbs Lake, Big Evans Lake, Lower Evans Lake, Upper Evans Lake, Saddlebag Lake, Boom Lake, Bass Lake and Dogfish Lake.

The Winchester Dam was built in 1955 on Tubbs Lake as part of the Martiny Lakes Flooding Project. This project raised the water level by 8 feet over 1600 acres of the Martiny Lakes State Game Area, thereby connecting all the lakes.

There are many fisherman that claim some of the best fishing in the state is found in the Martiny Chain of Lakes . Some of the fish found in abundance here are, Bass, Bluegill, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Warmouth, Pumpkinseed, Black Crappie, Bullhead and Dogfish.

Much of the lake frontage is within the state game area which prevents it from being developed, providing a home for deer, raccoons, beavers, otters, bear, wood ducks, nesting osprey, loons, herons, bald eagles, mallards, geese, swans and many other types of wildlife. In the middle of the chain of lakes a pristine 600 acre island is just waiting to be explored.

The area is served by two rustic county campgrounds, two privately owned campgrounds and is home to many retirees. And, even though lakes are very popular, it never seems noisy or crowded.

Tubbs Lake State Forest Campground (mainland) is located on the southeast shore of the 1600 acres of beautiful surface waters of the Martiny Chain of Lakes.  There is over 1300 feet of lake frontage on this beautiful Michigan lake, with excellent swimming.   The best part of the campground is it’s small size, only twenty one rustic campsites. The campground itself campground covers over eighty wooded acres. The site is located on Madison Road, 1 ¼ miles west of 45^th Avenue.

Tubbs Lake Island Campground is just that, a campground located on a small island. Only twelve rustic campsites here are found here.  The campground is located at the end of 65^th Street, 1 ½ mile north of Taft Avenue and  is well marked, Do not confuse this small island  with the six hundred acre island bordering Lost Lake, Big Evans Lake, Lower Evans Lake, Manake Lake, Bullhead Lake, Boom Lake, Dogfish Lake, Lost lake and Saddlebag Lake.

The campgrounds are open mid April to mid November. The camping fee is only $10.00 per night.  No reservations are accepted and sites are available on a first come first serve basis. Pets are permitted.  There is a boat launch at each campground.

In our opinion, the Martiny Chain of Lakes and the two Mecosta County Parks are worthy of attention.

 You can explore this wonderful Michigan lake by launching your boat at one of several DNR boat launches. We recommend the launches on Big Evans Lake or Lower Evans Lake. We also recommend your bring along a map of the area and a compass, as these could prove very helpful as you explore the area.

Owning a property in this unique area should prove to be an excellent investment, yielding many years of enjoyment and memories for many years to come.

Tubbs Lake Map     Boom Lake Map   Dogfish Lake Map   Lost Lake Map

Lower Evans Lake Map   Upper Evans Lake Map    Saddleback Lake Map