Gratiot Lake vs Lake Desor
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Gratiot Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Lake Desor. Both are in Keweenaw County, Michigan.
Gratiot Lake and Lake Desor 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, Gratiot Lake versus Lake Desor. 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.
Gratiot Lake
Crystal clear, you can see 17 ft down.
Lake Desor
Moderate clarity, visible to about 7.2 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Gratiot Lake | Lake Desor |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 17 ft Better | 7.2 ft |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L Better | 11.7 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 70 ft | - |
| Surface Area | 1,453 acres | 1,060 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 1 | 1 |
| 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
Gratiot Lake and Lake Desor read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Gratiot Lake: 17 ft, Lake Desor: 7.2 ft) and what you want from the lake. Gratiot Lake matches its peer on species count.
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Where to stay near Gratiot Lake and Lake Desor
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Gratiot Lake and Lake Desor. 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 Gratiot Lake and Lake Desor
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.