Lake Michigan, Great Lakes, USA

As the only Great Lake nestled completely within the boundaries of the United States, Lake Michigan is the pride and joy of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The lake boasts a huge area of 22,400 square miles, making it the largest freshwater lake (by surface area) in the world to be contained within one country. Measuring about 307 miles long and 118 miles wide, Lake Michigan stretches…
Keep scrolling to read more.

Welcome to the ultimate guide to Lake Michigan! Article topics include:

Looking for Lake Michigan cabins or other accommodations? Save time and use this interactive map to find, compare and book at the best rates. Or explore more of our favorite travel partners.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click and purchase, we may earn a small referral fee at no extra cost to you. Read our full disclosure.

Explore Area Hotels

Nearby offer more hotel accommodations:

  • Check TripAdvisor
  • Check Expedia
  • Check Hotels.com
  • Check Booking.com

    • All About Lake Michigan

    Lake Locations: Great Lakes of North America - USA - US Midwest Region - Illinois - Chicagoland Region, IL - Indiana - North Indiana - Michigan - Northwest Michigan - Southwest Michigan - Upper Peninsula Region, MI - West Central Michigan - Wisconsin - Lake Michigan Region, WI -

    As the only Great Lake nestled completely within the boundaries of the United States, Lake Michigan is the pride and joy of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. The lake boasts a huge area of 22,400 square miles, making it the largest freshwater lake (by surface area) in the world to be contained within one country. Measuring about 307 miles long and 118 miles wide, Lake Michigan stretches over 1,640 shoreline miles. More than 80 lighthouses dot the shoreline and large islands. However, Lake Michigan is not just a lake of superlatives; it is a freshwater paradise home to 12 million residents, and welcomes thousands of visitors every year.

    Lake Michigan and Lake Huron share the same elevation of 577 feet above sea level, and they are connected by the five-mile-wide Straits of Mackinac. Hydrologically, this makes the two a single lake that some designate as Lake Michigan-Huron. At LakeLubbers, we treat Lake Michigan and Lake Huron as two separate lakes, but acknowledge the combined surface area and volume as “points of interest” to Lakelubbers.

    There are many towns and cities that border Lake Michigan’s shores, though you’re probably most familiar with Chicago (Illinois), East Chicago (Indiana), and Milwaukee (Wisconsin). These towns and their surrounding areas are home to many Lake Michigan beaches, and those in Michigan and Northern Indiana are renowned for their exceptional beauty. In fact, the area is often called the “Third Coast” of the United States, rivaling some beaches on the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Indeed, with soft, white sand with a reputation for “singing” as you walk across, these Midwestern beaches are an oasis in the middle of the country.

    With an area as large as Lake Michigan’s, a visitor has several options for park patronage. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is a national park that snuggles up to about 35 miles of Lake Michigan’s eastern shoreline. It features beaches, forests, and incredible dune formations, a product of ancient glacial phenomena. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is the lake’s second national park, claiming 25 miles of Lake Michigan coastline, and offering a variety of sand dunes, swamps, rivers, wetland forests, and more. And for those interested in the famous “singing sands,” this park is known to truly deliver.

    In addition to these two national parks, several state parks dot the area, including Peninsula State Park (Wisconsin), Holland State Park (Michigan), Grand Haven State Park (Michigan), Hoffmaster State Park (Michigan), Ludington State Park (Michigan), Silver Lake State Park (Michigan), Illinois Beach State Park (Illinois), and Indiana Dunes State Park (Indiana). Depending on your lake location, a trek to one of these beautiful reserves is an ideal way to start your vacation, offering visitors centers full of information, hiking trails that provide amazing views, and allowing you to view the lake’s habitat from up-close.

    Hiking is perhaps one of Lake Michigan’s favorite pastimes, and trails are available all around the lake. Snaking along the coastline, taking you high up above, winding through vast forests, and splashing through little streams, the lake’s hiking and biking trails offer the best way to commune with nature. Trails range from very easy to strenuous and advanced, so take care to research your hike and plan in advance, taking your camera and water bottle along. Day hikes are also available, giving you the perfect chance to stop for a picnic among the trees, enjoying a lakeside lunch that you won’t soon forget.

    If you want to get a hiker’s view of the lake, but your knees just aren’t up for it, take a ride on the Great Lakes Circle Tour. Over 6,500 miles long, this scenic road system connects all of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River, allowing you to cover more distance and see as many sights as you can fit into your stay. Winding all around Lake Michigan, the scenic Circle Tour sticks close to the coast, affording your amazing views that few but a bird can ever hope to see.

    Lake Michigan supports both sport fishing and commercial fishing, so join the legions of anglers who claim Lake Michigan as their favorite. Some of the best brown trout, chinook salmon, coho salmon, lake trout, largemouth bass, perch, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, steelhead, and walleye fishing in the country is found here, and several competitions are held here annually, taking advantage of these ideal conditions.

    Lake Michigan is a jewel in the country’s eye, attracting millions of visitors and residents to its shores every year. However, because of the high population density and heavy industrialization on the lake and its tributaries, Lake Michigan’s ecosystem faces serious pollution and other threats. Efforts have been ongoing over the past 25 years to improve the water quality of this Great Lake.

    Things to Do at Lake Michigan

    These are some activities in the Lake Michigan area visitors can enjoy:

    • Vacation Rentals
    • Fishing
    • Swimming
    • Beach
    • Picnicking
    • Hiking
    • Biking
    • Wildlife Viewing
    • State Park
    • National Park

    What Kind of Fish Are in Lake Michigan?

    Lake Michigan has been known to have the following fish species:

    • Bass
    • Black Bass
    • Brown Trout
    • Chinook Salmon
    • Coho Salmon
    • Lake Trout
    • Largemouth Bass
    • Perch
    • Rainbow Trout
    • Salmon
    • Smallmouth Bass
    • Steelhead Trout
    • Trout
    • Walleye
    divider

    Find Places to Stay at Lake Michigan

    If you’re considering a Lake Michigan lake house rental or hotel, we’ve made it super easy to find the best rates and compare vacation accommodations at a glance. Save time using this interactive map below.

    Note: These are affiliate links and we may earn a small commission if you click and make a purchase. Read our full disclosure policy here.

    More Sites to Book a Lake Michigan Vacation

    Our interactive Lake Michigan lodging map above is an easy tool for comparing VRBO rental homes and nearby hotels with Booking.com, but there could be times when you need to expand your search for different types of accommodations. Here are some other lake lodging partners we recommend:

    Check TripAdvisor
    Check Expedia
    Find a Campspot
    All Travel Resources

    Lake Michigan Statistics & Helpful Links

    divider

    Lake Type: Natural Freshwater Lake, Not Dammed

    Surface Area: 14,336,000 acres

    Shoreline Length: 1,638 miles

    Normal Elevation (Full Pond): 577 feet

    Average Depth: 279 feet

    Maximum Depth: 923 feet

    Water Volume: 3,987,456,000 acre-feet

    Water Residence Time: 99 years

    Lake Area-Population: 12,000,000

    Lake Michigan Map

    More local lakes to explore in this area:

    LakeLubbers heart icon

    Lake Winnebago, WI

    LakeLubbers heart icon

    Torch Lake, MI

    LakeLubbers heart icon

    Crystal Lake, MI

    We strive to keep information on LakeLubbers as accurate as possible. If you’ve found something here that needs updating, please touch base by filling out our Content Correction form.

    Shop Lake Michigan Gifts

    Custom Lake Tumblers

    Create Your Own Captain / First Mate Custom 20oz Tumbler

    ORDER HERE
    Custom Lake T Shirt

    Create Your Personalized My Boat My Rules Unisex T-Shirt

    ORDER HERE
    Custom Lake Coffee Mug - On Lake Time

    Create a Custom Coffee Mug – 11oz or 15oz

    ORDER HERE
    VIEW ALL CUSTOM LAKE PRODUCTS

    More Lake Michigan news from LakeLubbers.com

    • Advertise your vacation rental property or local business: DETAILS HERE
    • The Lake Michigan forum has been discontinued: HERE’S WHY
    • New Lake Michigan photos coming soon!
    • You’re invited to join our lake-lovin’ community on Facebook and Instagram!
    • Share this Lake Michigan article with your fellow LakeLubbers: