Many of Michigan’s top tourist attractions are centered around the Great Lakes, which is little surprise considering the state touches four of the massive bodies of water. From the pleasant beach of Sleeping Bear Dunes to the golden glow of Mackinac Island, the Great Lakes offer a great time.
But the Great Lakes aren’t the only really big lakes in the state. There are more than 11,000 inland lakes in Michigan, which has more freshwater shoreline than any other US state. Many of Michigan’s most beautiful inland lakes offer sunny sands, swimming, and boating opportunities without the crowds you’ll find at some of the more popular Great Lakes beaches (you’ll be able to skip the vastness and potentially intimidating upper lake).
You’ll find Michigan’s deepest inland lakes in the northern reaches of both the Lower and Upper Peninsulas. This location is no accident; most of these lakes were formed by glacial activity during the Pleistocene epoch, which ended about 10,000 years ago. Today, these lakes are a boon for summer tourism, attracting visitors from around the world who want to swim, fish and simply enjoy the views. If you’re considering including a visit to Michigan on your summer itinerary, here are the five deepest inland lakes in the state that should be on your radar.
Read more: The hidden dangers of swimming in the Caribbean Sea
Elk Lake
A view of Michigan’s Elk Lake from the water on a partly cloudy day – Symbolized Barcode/Shutterstock
Located in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula, Elk Lake has a maximum depth of 150 feet and spans 8,194 acres on 28 miles of shoreline. It is separated from Lake Michigan by only a thin strip of land and is surrounded by the towns of Elk Rapids and Kewadin.
Visitors to Elk Lake are amazed by the beauty of the clear, tree-lined waters. Swimming, boating and fishing are all popular summer activities here, as are water sports such as tubing, water skiing and wakeboarding.
Freshwater snorkelers can watch lake trout swim by and see sunken wrecks like the Shale Scow wreck of 1903. Want to explore the surrounding area? In addition to being near Lake Michigan, Elk Lake is part of the Chain of Lakes Water Trail, an inland water trail that stretches more than 100 miles along 12 interconnected lakes and rivers in northwest Michigan. Past visitors on Google describe the lake as their “favorite place in the world” and “quintessential ‘Up North'”.
Thumb Lake
A view of Michigan’s Thumb Lake at sunset – Eats Photography/Shutterstock
At 152 feet deep, Thumb Lake (also known as Lake Louise) is slightly deeper than Elk Lake, but much smaller in surface area at 510 acres. Despite its name, it is not in the “thumb” of Michigan, but in the northern part of the Lower Peninsula, between the towns of Vanderbilt and Boyne Falls.
Thumb Lake is a kettle lake, meaning it formed in the depression left by a glacier. It is also an infiltration lake, meaning it only loses water through evaporation and groundwater channels, rather than an outlet (so water stays in the lake much longer than other lakes).
Visitors enjoy spending time on Thumb Lake’s 1,600-wide sandy beach, part of which is dog-friendly. Swimming, boating and fishing are all popular in the summer months. Reviewers remark on the clear water and quiet surroundings (the spotty cell service in the area adds to the effect).
Lake Angeline
An aerial view of Ishpeming – Jacob Boomsma/Getty Images
Head north into Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and you’ll find Lake Angeline, which is 162 feet deep at its deepest point and just 96 acres in surface area. It is located in the small town of Ishpeming, a charming gem with pristine views. Unlike the other lakes on this list, Angeline Lake was not formed by a glacier.
Instead, it was created in a former open pit iron mine. At the end of the 19th century, the former body of water that stood here was completely drained, and its bottom was extensively mined for iron ore. Beginning in the 1940s, it began to fill up and was eventually reused as a fishing lake and stocked with rainbow trout.
Today, divers can see the remains of a submerged forest that probably began to grow there as the lake slowly refilled over the years. Lake Angeline is a popular fishing lake and is regularly stocked with several species of trout, including splake. Ice fishermen often go out on the ice in the winter. And in the summer, people take advantage of the boat launch. Although some prefer to stay away from its cold waters, others like to swim in the lake as well.
Crystal Lake
A sunset over Michigan’s Crystal Lake – Kelly McGovern/Shutterstock
Like Elk Lake, Crystal Lake is located in northwest Michigan and separated from Lake Michigan by a thin strip of land that makes it a separate, inland lake. Crystal Lake has a unique history: it is both natural and man-made. In 1873, a man named Archibald Jones attempted to build a series of locks connecting Crystal Lake (then called White Cap Lake) to Lake Michigan.
Due to some crucial engineering oversights, the dam Jones built to hold back the water during the construction of the canal failed, and Crystal Lake lost about 20 feet of water. Somewhat by accident, this loss revealed the beautiful sandy beaches that visitors enjoy today.
Today, Crystal Lake is 175 feet deep and covers just under 10,000 acres. Its crystal clear blue waters mean that Crystal Lake is often compared to the Caribbean. Bordered by the city of Frankfort and the villages of Beulah and Benzonia, Crystal Lake is a hidden gem summer destination. Tourists can go swimming, boating, walking and fishing at several lakeside beaches, including Crystal Lake Public Beach, Mollineaux Beach and Beulah Village Park. A former Google visitor called the lake an “amazing diamond in the rough,” adding that the water “is stunning with [its] gorgeous shades of blue.”
Lake Tortei
An aerial view of a sandbar in Torch Lake, Michigan – Keith Klosterman/Shutterstock
At 250 feet deep, Torch Lake is not only Michigan’s deepest lake outside of the Great Lakes, it’s also deeper than Lake Erie (which reaches 210 feet deep). It is located in northwestern Michigan, just a short distance from Elk Lake, and like Elk Lake, it is also separated from Lake Michigan by a thin strip of land.
With 18,473 acres and 41 miles of shoreline, Torch Lake was naturally shaped by glaciers (and was originally a bay that was part of Lake Michigan). Its crystal clear waters mean it is sometimes called the Caribbean of Michigan. Parts of the shoreline are rocky (you might find some Petoskey Stones, fossilized corals from prehistoric times), while other sections are covered in sand. Speaking of sand, if you’re visiting the lake during the summer months, head to the Torch Lake Sandbar in the middle of the water, where you’ll often find a gathering of boaters hanging out and enjoying some of the best fun the Midwest has to offer.
Snorkeling is another popular activity here due to the clarity of the water. “I’ve been to many lakes around the world and have never seen a spring-fed lake so clear…and beautiful, almost a turquoise color, like Torch Lake,” wrote a former visitor on Tripadvisor.
Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter and add us as your favorite search source for access to the world’s best-kept travel secrets.
Read the original article about Islands.