1. Home
  2. Lakes
  3. Michigan

Lakes in Michigan

56 lakes in Michigan with photography planning data — sunrise and sunset azimuths, golden hour by month, Milky Way windows and estimated sky darkness. Gogebic County has the most (5). The darkest skies are at Lake Superior (Bortle 1).

Top lakes

Lake MichiganLake
Lake MichiganMason County · 177 m
Lake Saint ClairLake
Lake Saint ClairSaint Clair County
Lake SuperiorLake
Lake SuperiorKeweenaw County
Lake HuronLake
Lake HuronAlcona County
Lake Michigan–HuronLake
Lake Michigan–HuronCheboygan County
Hubbard LakeLake
Hubbard LakeAlcona County · 216 m
Lake MacatawaLake
Lake MacatawaOttawa County · 177 m
Burt LakeLake
Burt LakeCheboygan County · 181 m
Lac La BelleLake
Lac La BelleKeweenaw County · 183 m
Lake MichigammeLake
Lake MichigammeMarquette County · 473 m
Crystal LakeLake
Crystal LakeBenzie County · 183 m
Orchard LakeLake
Orchard LakeOakland County · 283 m

Lakes by county

All lakes (56)

NameCountyElevationNearest townSky
Lake MichiganMason County177 mLudington2
Lake Saint ClairSaint Clair County—Grosse Pointe Shores5
Lake SuperiorKeweenaw County—Houghton1
Lake HuronAlcona County—Au Sable1
Lake Michigan–HuronCheboygan County—Saint Ignace1
Hubbard LakeAlcona County216 mHubbard Lake1
Lake MacatawaOttawa County177 mBeechwood5
Burt LakeCheboygan County181 mIndian River2
Lac La BelleKeweenaw County183 mLaurium1
Lake MichigammeMarquette County473 mWest Ishpeming1
Crystal LakeBenzie County183 mFrankfort2
Orchard LakeOakland County283 mOrchard Lake8
Lake ColumbiaJackson County300 mBrooklyn4
Lake LeelanauLeelanau County179 mGreilickville3
Clark LakeGogebic County522 mEagle River1
Lake of the CloudsOntonagon County328 mOntonagon1
Lamberton LakeKent County200 mNorthview7
Budd LakeClare County339 mHarrison2
Muskegon LakeMuskegon County177 mNorth Muskegon7
Higgins LakeRoscommon County352 mRoscommon2
Gull LakeKalamazoo County268 mSouth Gull Lake4
Walloon LakeCharlevoix County209 mBoyne City3
Fisk LakeKent County223 mEast Grand Rapids7
Glen LakeSleeping Bear DunesLeelanau County181 mGreilickville2
Zukey LakeLivingston County259 mPinckney5
Lake CadillacWexford County393 mCadillac5
Lake MitchellWexford County393 mCadillac4
Houghton LakeRoscommon County347 mHoughton Lake4
Blue LakeAlger County232 mMunising1
Lake FiveKalkaska County362 mKalkaska2
Clark LakeJackson County294 mBrooklyn4
Cass LakeOakland County283 mKeego Harbor7
Deer Island LakeGogebic County523 mEagle River1
Mullett LakeCheboygan County181 mIndian River2
Indian LakeCass County229 mDowagiac4
Douglas LakeCheboygan County217 mCheboygan2
Walled LakeOakland County284 mWalled Lake7
Reeds LakeKent County223 mEast Grand Rapids7
Long LakeGrand Traverse County258 mTraverse City3
Thumb LakeCharlevoix County315 mGaylord2
Fisher LakeGogebic County532 mEagle River1
Green LakeWashtenaw County290 mChelsea4
Lake MedoraKeweenaw County310 mLaurium1
Lake GogebicGogebic County391 mWakefield1
Loon LakeGogebic County523 mEagle River1
Manistique LakeMackinac County210 mNewberry1
Arcadia LakeManistee County177 mFrankfort2
Silver LakeGrand Traverse County263 mTraverse City3
Gun LakeBarry County227 mWayland4
Coldwater LakeBranch County299 mFremont3
Fife LakeGrand Traverse County311 mKingsley2
Kalamazoo LakeAllegan County177 mDouglas4
Lake Fanny HooeKeweenaw County189 mLaurium1
Lake MissaukeeMissaukee County377 mCadillac2
Pratt LakeGladwin County260 mGladwin3
Marl LakeRoscommon County351 mRoscommon2

Sky = estimated Bortle class (1 darkest – 9 brightest).

Map

How to photograph lakes

Lakes reflect best in calm air — usually the first hour after sunrise, before breezes ripple the surface.

  • For mirror reflections, get low and close to the water; the reflection grows with a lower camera.
  • A polarizer can remove reflections to show the lakebed — or keep them, depending on rotation.
  • Mist often lifts off lakes on cold mornings after warm days, especially in autumn.
  • Include shoreline rocks, reeds or a log as foreground to give the reflection depth.
  • Expose for the brighter sky; reflections are typically half a stop to a stop darker.

Season: Autumn mornings bring mist and fall color; high-elevation lakes are usually ice-free only from early summer to mid-autumn.