Yeah, We Picked the 15 Prettiest Lakes in Michigan
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Stop the Presses: These Michigan Lakes are Too Pretty to Ignore
Ask any Michigander and they’re gonna have a favorite lake. And one they swear is the prettiest, no question.
We’ve got over 11,000 to choose from, so yeah, we’ve got opinions.
Some are glass-clear. Some are tucked into forests. Some glow with that blue-green color you’d only expect to see in the tropics. And some just feel like summer the second you pull up.
So picking a top list? Not exactly easy.
Making the List
We started with the obvious ones (hi, Torch) but we knew we’d have to look for the ones flying under the radar (looking at you, Grand Lake.)
Some made it because yeah, they’re pretty, but they’ve also got something extra.
It wasn’t about size or hype. The color, the clarity, the setting. That all played a part. And let’s be real, what you think is pretty might be totally different from my list.
What can I say, we gave it our best shot. Let’s see if your favorite made the list!
prettiest lakes in michigan
Torch Lake
Is this even real?
People seriously come from all over to see Torch’s unreal blue-green water. It’s true that the buzz about Torch Lake‘s wild color and epic sand bar parties have reached the ends of the earth. 
At 19 miles long, it’s Michigan’s longest inland lake, and some days it feels more like a tropical lagoon than part of the Midwest.
It’s a stunner, no question. This is the lake that makes every other one feel like it should try harder.
Fair warning: If you want to visit, do yourself a favor and get a boat or kayak because that’s the way to get the full experience.
Final Rating: Sandbar Famous, Answers to ‘Midwest Bahamas’
Higgins Lake
Sparkles like glass in the sun
Hear me out: If Torch Lake wasn’t hogging all the hype, Higgins would be wearing the “Prettiest Lakes in Michigan” crown.
She’s glacier-carved, spring-fed, and so clear you can spot a perch before it knows you’re there.
It’s blue-green glow kinda feels like the Caribbean – if the Caribbean had campfires and Michigan snacks.
The Chippewa called it Majinabeesh, which means sparkling water. Not gonna argue with that.
And the state parks on both sides keep things easy. Pull up, play, repeat.
Final Rating: Would Be Prom Queen, But She’s Out Fishing Instead
Glen Lake
Drive up to Inspiration Point or hike up the Dune Climb in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore for a look at this beauty.
Glen Lake’s got that glassy, sun-warmed look that makes you feel like you’ve been here before, because maybe you have.
Right in the middle of Sleeping Bear Dunes country, it brings the goods with incredible dune backdrops, small town ice cream shops, and a few of your favorite creature comforts. 
Locals know Glen Lake is two for the price of one. Big Glen (BGL), and Little Glen are connected by a charming causeway.
Big Glen is perfect for dock jumping or a laid-back boat cruise over deep turquoise waters.
Little Glen is shallow and sandy with crystal-clear water, perfect for floating, handstands, and spotting minnows darting under your feet.
This is classic cabin-country Michigan, and it always shows up looking good.
Final Rating: Old-School Lake Days, Still Going Strong
Crystal Lake
You pull up and think: yep, that name checks out.
Crystal Lake is crazy clear, and bluer than you’d expect. Especially on a sunny day. It’s got that vacation-y feel without being flashy. 
The beach in Beulah is right off the little downtown, so you can swim, then wander into town for an ice cream or burger at the Lucky Dog or poke around the shops without even changing out of your sandals.
Final Rating: Wakes Up Like a Postcard, Goes to Bed With Sand in Her Hair
Lake Charlevoix
Pretty Enough to Make You Pause Your Road Trip
Lake Charlevoix has the kind of ‘yes, please’ looks that keeps it landing on “best lakes in America” lists: turquoise shallows, clean beaches, and views that look like they wandered into Michigan from someplace closer to the equator. 
The town of the same name draws an upscale crowd. Everyone here loves the storybook Mushroom Houses and running to watch the downtown drawbridge when goes up to let the tall boats pass through.
Really, if a lake were gonna wear a crisp linen button-down and book the nicest room in town, it’d be Lake Charlevoix.
Throw in some local John Cross fish pâté and you’ve got the full Charlevoix vibe.
Final Rating: Little Fancy, Lotta Fun, Knows All the Dock Hands
Walloon Lake
First Class, All the Way
Speaking of understated luxury, Walloon’s been doing its thing for over 100 years: same blue-green water, same family cottages, same summer rhythm. A lot like Lake Charlevoix but smaller and more if you know you know. 
Hemingway spent his boyhood here, back before “lake life” was a hashtag. He knew what was up.
The lake is that perfect blue-green, with cottages that are as big of a part of the family as your grandma. The town of Walloon Lake could not be more charming. The same people come back every summer, because of course they do.
If you want to give summer on Walloon Lake a trial run, Hotel Walloon delivers a polished, white-glove version of lake life.
Final Rating: Understated, Overqualified & Sipping Rosé in a Yeti tumbler.
Walloon Lake 📷 (Hotel Walloon)
Lake Leelanau
This Lake Pairs Well With Literally Everything
With its clear blue water, rolling vineyards, and sailboats drifting by, Lake Leelanau is striking on a sunny day, and everyday.
Running north to south, it stretches 20 miles through wine country, split down the middle by The Narrows. 
Lake Leelanau sits on the same 45th parallel as Bordeaux, so the fact that there are 20+ wineries nearby shouldn’t be surprising.
Places like Boathouse Vineyards let you sip dockside while the boats drift past. People say this is what they meant by “Pure Michigan.” After a few tastings, it’s hard to argue.
Final Rating: Two Lakes, Twenty wineries, No Notes.
Grand Lake
Almost an Island, Totally Slept On
This spring-fed delight has 19 islands scattered across it and a blue-green color palette that other lakes envy. 
But Grand Lake doesn’t show up on many other “prettiest lakes” lists. Why? Probably because it’s far enough off the beaten path for most people to notice.
It’s also sitting right next to Lake Huron and is so close that they almost touch. Which is cool because if they did ever merge, Presque Isle would turn into an island.
All together, Grand Lake is the real deal and can absolutely hang with Michigan’s best.
Final Rating: The Prettiest Lake No One’s Hyping (yet).
Silver Lake (Mears)
It’s not just the lake, it’s the dunes.
Silver Lake might have warm, swimmable water and plenty of spots to float or paddle, but what really grabs the eye are the dunes right next to it. 
Towering and golden, these sand dunes stretch all the way to Lake Michigan.
You can hike them, climb them, or rent a dune buggy and fly across them (one of the few places in the country where that’s even allowed!).
Final Rating: Full Send by Noon, Full Float by Five
Lake St. Clair
Most people don’t know that Lake St. Clair is a looker. They hear ‘Detroit area’ and tune out. But when it comes down to it, pretty is pretty. 
But no, for real, ask someone who’s been there and you’ll learn fast that this lake is undeniably fine.
It may be smaller than Michigan’s headliners, but don’t let the size fool you.
The water is surprisingly blue, the shoreline opens up wide, and the sunsets might just give you tingles.
This lake punches way above its weight with marinas, beach towns, and some of the best floating scenes in the state. (Ever heard of Jobbie Nooner? Yeah. Legendary.)
Final Rating: Lake Hair, Detroit Flair, Got Her Name on a Cooler Out There
Burt Lake
Let’s talk about Burt Lake.
You’ve got the blue water, the pine trees, and long stretches of sandy shoreline. It’s one of the prettiest big lakes Up North, but weirdly, people don’t talk about it much. 
But you can just tell by the old cabins dotting the shoreline that summer’s been showing up here for generations in a way that feels classic, not showy.
And if you like a little adventure, Burt connects to the Inland Waterway a 38-mile stretch you can boat through all the way to Lake Huron.
Final Rating: Drives Slow, Waves to Everyone, Never Skips the Campfire
Lake of the Clouds
It’s all about the view
A few things to know about Lake of the Clouds: it’s small, it’s far away, but once you’ve been there, it’s unforgettable.
So why make the climb to the overlook? Because it’s kinda jaw-dropping, that’s why.
You pop up over the ridge, and there it is: a hidden alpine-esque lake smack in the middle of the Porcupine Mountains, surrounded by an ocean of trees.
And if you time it right in the fall? Unreal.
Final Rating: Bug Bites Be Damned, This View Wins
Elk Lake
Quietly Iconic.
Elk Lake is so clear you’ll stop paddling just to stare at the bottom. 
It’s a fisher’s paradise teeming with trout, bass, perch, and whitefish – ice fishing for lake trout is a winter staple here.
To boaters, kayakers and paddlers, Elk Lake is the last stop in a 14-lake network known as the Chain of Lakes.
It’s really long, 9 miles to be exact, really deep, second only to Torch, and just as blue-green. Locals’ll tell you it’s what Torch used to feel like before the party barges moved in.
Add in the laid-back charm of Elk Rapids on the north end, it’s got the small-town charm to match.
Final Rating: Clearer Than a Window After Windex
Big Platte Lake
Float to Lake Michigan
If Big Platte wanted attention, all it’d have to do is shout about the river that runs through it. 
And yeah, people line up for that tubing ride. Floating the clear, cool Platte all the way to Lake Michigan?
Sunburned, snack-happy, totally worth it. Let them chase the current.
Because what the crowds miss is the lake itself. Same clear water, cabins tucked in the woods, campfires cracking along the shoreline.
Final Rating: Quiet, Steady, and Wearing the Same Flannel Since ‘94
Lime Lake
Lime Lake Plays it Cool
Most folks blow right past on M-22 without even knowing what they missed and the locals like it that way. The lake association even said they hope to stay out of the “limelight.” 
But even this little lake that doesn’t want the attention can’t deny that it’s 100% pretty.
Sometimes the most beautiful thing about a lake is that it doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone.
Final Rating: Pretty, Private, and Not Texting Back
Alright, Your Turn
How did we do? Did we nail it?
Did your favorite make the list?
Tell us what we missed in the comments!
