Largest lakes & reservoirs in Michigan by shoreline length
The length of the exterior shoreline around a lake is measured at the lake’s normal elevation. The shoreline length can be considerably shorter or longer when lake water levels are lower or higher than normal. A lake with many coves has a much longer shoreline than a lake of similar surface area that is nearly circular in shape.When known, the shoreline miles that we report in our statistics include only the lake’s exterior shoreline, and exclude the shorelines of islands located within a lake’s boundaries. In lakes with many islands, those islands’ combined shorelines may exceed a lake’s exterior shoreline.
You can find many of the world’s longest-shoreline lakes on LakeLubbers. Note: For some lakes, "Longest Shorelines" data is unknown or does not apply, so this table may display fewer lakes than the total 90 articles we have published for Michigan lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US Midwest Region > Michigan > Compared by longest shoreline length in miles. This list does not represent all lakes in Michigan, only the 90 Michigan lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name | Shoreline length in miles | Lake description |
---|---|---|
Pine Lake, MI (Michigan, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
11 mi | Located in rural Barry County, Michigan, Pine Lake is actually four lakes connected by small navigable channels. With Kalamazoo a short 30-mile drive … |
Pontiac Lake (Michigan, Southeast Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
11 mi | Long a recreational playground in southeast Michigan, Pontiac Lake never fails to enchant visitors. The lake was created in 1927 when the state built … |
Van Etten Lake (Michigan, Northeast Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
10 mi | Ice huts dot the frozen surface of Van Etten Lake in northeast Michigan. Inside the huts anglers sip thermoses of coffee and pull strings of perch fro … |
Paradise Lake (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
10 mi | Also known as Carp Lake, Lake Paradise Paradise Lake is truly a lakelubber’s paradise. This 1900-acre lake in Michigan’s Northwest region has been a paradise for countless numbers of cottag … |
Devils Lake, MI (Michigan, Southeast Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
10 mi | Devils Lake is a 1,330-acre recreational lake in southeastern Michigan near the Ohio border. Devils Lake lies in a region that was once inhabited by a … |
Silver Lake, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
9 mi | Pushing her kayak out into the water of Silver Lake, she glides through the early morning mist rising off the surface of the water. With steady, stron … |
Paw Paw Lake, MI (Michigan, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
9 mi | Paw Paw Lake. Just the name invokes lazy, hot summer days in a secluded country setting. Situated in Southwest Michigan, 891-acre Paw Paw Lake is a co … |
Chicagon Lake (Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA, Upper Peninsula Region, MI) |
9 mi | Also known as Chicaugon Lake Chicagon Lake lies in Michigan’s western Upper Peninsula only a few miles from the Wisconsin state line. The 1000-acre natural lake isn’t well-known e … |
Clam Lake (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
9 mi | Clam Lake sparkles in the midst of northwest Michigan’s beautiful countryside. Tucked between Torch Lake and Lake Bellaire, Clam Lake is part of the l … |
Portage Lake (Manistee County), MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
9 mi | Portage Lake is a fantastic stop for Lake Michigan travelers. The lake is connected to Lake Michigan by a channel. Boating and sailing visitors often … |
Pentwater Lake (Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA, West Central Michigan) |
9 mi | Also known as Pent Water Lake Oceana County, Michigan, is home to Pentwater Lake, a 483-acre natural freshwater lake with a very irregular shape. Pentwater Lake’s shoreline is 8.6 … |
Pickerel Lake, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
7 mi | Pickerel Lake, in Michigan’s Northwest Region, is a nature lover’s delight. Part of the headwaters of the famed Inland Waterway, Pickerel Lake covers … |