Long Lake
Long Lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 24.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 88 ft. Surface area: 2911.4 acres.
- Clarity
- 24.3 ft
- Max depth
- 88 ft
- Area
- 2,911 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Long Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 88 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Long Lake has no grade
We grade a lake only when the monitoring record supports a letter: at least three phosphorus or chlorophyll-a samples in the last ten years, scored against EPA National Lakes Assessment thresholds for this lake’s ecoregion. For Long Lake, the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Sampling here has recorded water clarity, but not phosphorus and algae (chlorophyll-a).
Not Rated is not an F. It is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. The water here may be excellent or poor; nobody has measured enough of it to say. Everything below that has been measured is still reported on this page.
Sampling is run by EGLE and volunteer programs, and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. Read the full grading methodology.
Long Lake is a 2,911-acre lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 88 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 40 documented fish species including Blackchin shiner, Blacknose shiner, and Blackside darter. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
Watch Long Lake water quality
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Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake
Water quality measurements for Long Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 24.3 ft down. Trophic State Index: 31.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 24.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 31 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Long Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Long Lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Long Lake
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Planning a trip? Cabins and lodging at Long Lake → · more Michigan lake trips
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 88 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,911 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Recreation & Access
- Bass LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Long Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +1.143 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.52 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.04 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Graded lakes near Long Lake
Long Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Grand Traverse County
Frequently asked questions about Long Lake
Where is Long Lake?
- Long Lake is a lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — there is not enough recent sampling to assign a letter.
What is the water quality grade for Long Lake?
- Long Lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 24.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 88 ft. Surface area: 2911.4 acres.
Is Long Lake safe to swim in?
- Not rated for swimming — there is not enough monitoring data to judge this lake. Long Lake is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Long Lake?
- Long Lake has a maximum depth of 88 feet. The lake covers 2911.4 acres.
What fish are in Long Lake?
- Fish species found in Long Lake include Blackchin shiner, Blacknose shiner, Blackside darter, Blackstripe topminnow, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Brook silverside, Brown bullhead, Central mudminnow, Central stoneroller, Creek chub, Golden redhorse, Golden shiner, Grass pickerel, Green sunfish, Hornyhead chub, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Lake herring, Lake whitefish, Largemouth bass, Longnose gar, Mimic shiner, Northern logperch, Northern longear sunfish, Northern pearl dace, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Rainbow trout, Rock bass, Sand shiner, Smallmouth bass, Spotted gar, Striped shiner, Walleye, Warmouth, Western banded killifish, White sucker, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch. Long Lake is located in Grand Traverse County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Long Lake?
- Long Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Bass Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Long Lake across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Long Lake is about 20 miles from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Crowds there swing hard by season, so the month you pick changes both how busy the park is and what lodging costs.
Best time to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes →More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Michigan
Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
65 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2018–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS65 samples · 2018–2022
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory