Chicagon Lake vs Iron Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Chicagon Lake and Iron Lake read the same on nutrients and algae. Both are in Iron County, Michigan.
Chicagon Lake and Iron Lake are both in Michigan — a same-state head-to-head where the comparison comes down to lake-specific differences in depth, watershed, and monitoring history rather than the broader state-level water-quality regime. These two sit close on their nutrient and algae readings, Chicagon Lake versus Iron Lake. The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With readings this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
Chicagon Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 20 ft down.
Iron Lake
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Chicagon Lake | Iron Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 20 ft Better | 9 ft |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | 9 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | 2.6 µg/L |
| Maximum Depth | 110 ft Better | 45 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,083 acres | 390 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 1 Better | 0 |
| Trophic State | oligotrophic | mesotrophic |
A green ✓ marks the better value for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better). Surface area and trophic state carry no tick — a bigger lake is not a better lake.
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Verdict
Iron Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Chicagon Lake. Water clarity: 9 ft vs 20 ft. For more fish-species variety, Chicagon Lake edges ahead with 1 documented species.
Stays via Stay22
Where to stay near Chicagon Lake and Iron Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Chicagon Lake and Iron Lake. Both lakes are pinned on the map, so you can see which stays sit nearer the one you pick. Switch to Satellite to see how close each is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Chicagon Lake and Iron Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.