Gratiot Lake vs Lake Richie
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Gratiot Lake reads lower on nutrients and algae than Lake Richie. Both are in Keweenaw County, Michigan.
Gratiot Lake and Lake Richie 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 Richie. 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 Richie
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.2 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Gratiot Lake | Lake Richie |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 17 ft Better | 9.2 ft |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L Better | 16.1 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 70 ft | - |
| Surface Area | 1,453 acres | 494 acres |
| Public Access | Unknown | Unknown |
| Fish Species | 1 | 11 Better |
| 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 Richie read the same on nutrients and algae overall. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Gratiot Lake: 17 ft, Lake Richie: 9.2 ft) and what you want from the lake. Gratiot Lake has fewer fish species than Lake Richie.
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Where to stay near Gratiot Lake and Lake Richie
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Gratiot Lake and Lake Richie. 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 Richie
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.