Late afternoon sun over Slim Lake, scattering a bright path across wind-textured water

Grand Traverse County Lake Quality

Michigan, 44 lakes, average grade A (Excellent)

There are 44 monitored lakes in Grand Traverse County. The mix is varied enough that the county-level average tells you the broad strokes, not the choose-this-cabin specifics. 2 of those lakes carry an A–F grade. The county-level summary describes that subset, not every water body listed. The county's average grade is A — among the cleanest in Michigan. 2 lakes pull an A on their own, and almost none fall into the D or F brackets.

The county's lakes lean shallow, which makes the grades sensitive to wind, sediment-resuspension, and any nutrient inputs from the watershed. The cleanest lake on the books is Rennie Lake (A); the most-stressed is Rennie Lake (A).

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Where to stay near Grand Traverse County

Top-rated places to stay near Grand Traverse County

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Quick Answers for Grand Traverse County

Cleanest lakes in Grand Traverse County →Cleanest lakes in Michigan →Safest swimming lakes in Michigan →

Planning a trip? Check special fishing regulations for Rennie Lake, whether the fish are safe to eat, and the best times to fish — or check the official Michigan fishing regulations.

Fishing in Grand Traverse County

Grand Traverse County Fishing Guide

Fish species and best-graded lakes in Grand Traverse County

All Lakes in Grand Traverse County

44 lakes · 2 graded, 42 not rated2 graded lakes · 42 not rated, hidden

Include not-rated lakes (42)

#	Lake	Grade	Clarity	Phosphorus	Algae	Trophic	Max Depth	Access
1	ARennie LakeGrand Traverse	A	14 ft	8 µg/L	3.5 µg/L	No recent samples	27 ft	Not recorded
2	ASpider LakeGrand Traverse	A	12 ft	7.5 µg/L	3.2 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRIsland LakeGrand Traverse	NR	17 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRArbutus LakeGrand Traverse	NR	17.5 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRLong LakeGrand Traverse	NR	24.3 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	88 ft	✓ Public
	NRDuck LakeGrand Traverse	NR	15 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	98 ft	Not recorded
	NRGreen LakeGrand Traverse	NR	12.8 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	102 ft	Not recorded
	NRFife LakeGrand Traverse	NR	13.7 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	55 ft	✓ Public
	NRMickey LakeGrand Traverse	NR	15 ft	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRBartlett LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	7 µg/L	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRElk LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	150 ft	✓ Public
	NRPetobego PondGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	17 ft	Not recorded
	NRBoardman LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	73 ft	Not recorded
	NRCedar LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	50 ft	✓ Public
	NRBellows LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	27 ft	Not recorded
	NRSilver LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	90 ft	✓ Public
	NRBass LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	20 ft	✓ Public
	NRLake DubonnetGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	7 ft	✓ Public
	NRIndian LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	20 ft	Not recorded
	NRChandler LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	34 ft	Not recorded
	NRCedar Hedge LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	50 ft	✓ Public
	NRBass LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	15 ft	✓ Public
	NRMud LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRBellows LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRRuth LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NREllis LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	✓ Public
	NRBridge LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRTonawanda LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRSabin PondGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRKeystone PondGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRDyer LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRCoffield LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRPrescott LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRTruax LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRDollar LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRHigh LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRTibbets LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRIndian LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRBass LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRSpring LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRBrown Bridge PondGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRHeadquarters LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRPickerel LakeGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded
	NRWalton MarshGrand Traverse	NR	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	No recent samples	Not recorded

NR = not rated: there is not enough recent sampling to support a letter. That is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 (insufficient information), not a failing grade. How grading works.

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Other Counties in Michigan

Dickinson County

43 lakes · Avg grade A

Clare County

47 lakes · Avg grade A

Ogemaw County

50 lakes · Avg grade A

Cheboygan County

31 lakes · Avg grade A

Roscommon County

26 lakes · Avg grade A

Gladwin County

29 lakes · Avg grade A

See how Grand Traverse County stacks up in the national county water-quality rankings, or browse the full directory of graded lakes across all United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs..

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.