Big Island Lake
Schoolcraft County, Michigan140 acresView mapDirections
Not Rated: one monitoring station are on record, but they measured water clarity only. LakeQuality’s A–F method grades total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity; clarity is shown, not scored.
- 35 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Big Island Lake in Schoolcraft County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 139.6 acres.
- Clarity
- 8.5 ft
- Typical in September
- 63°F
- Max depth
- 35 ft
- Area
- 140 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
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Stays near Big Island Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Island Lake in Schoolcraft 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 Big Island Lake
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Watch Big Island Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Big Island Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 35 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Big Island Lake has no grade
Big Island Lake has monitoring on record from one station, but only water clarity was measured. LakeQuality’s A–F letter uses total phosphorus, total nitrogen, chlorophyll-a, and turbidity against EPA National Lakes Assessment condition classes. With none of those grading measurements on record, Big Island Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 8.5-foot median from 3 readings collected 2017–2023 is still shown as clarity, but clarity alone cannot earn a letter.
Not Rated is EPA Integrated Reporting Category 3 — insufficient information. 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.
Big Island Lake is a 140-acre lake in Schoolcraft County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 35 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 5 documented fish species including Bluegill, Northern pike, and Pumpkinseed. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-09-13. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Big Island Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing5 species recorded
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Deep water35 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Big Island Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 8.5 ft. TSI 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 8.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Water Temperature
Big Island Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in Sep (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 10 field readings (2011–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Big Island Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 35 ft |
| Surface Area | 140 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Big Island Lake
- Petes Lake Recreation Area4.3 km
Nearest public campgrounds in the USGS National Map inventory, within about 3 miles. An empty list means USGS records no campground that close, which is not the same as camping being unavailable. Where the source gives an official reservation link, it is used; the cabin and hotel search does not cover campsites. More camping lakes
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Island Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.562 m/yr | 3 |
Graded lakes near Big Island Lake
Big Island Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Schoolcraft County
Frequently asked questions about Big Island Lake
Where is Big Island Lake?
- Big Island Lake is a lake in Schoolcraft County, Michigan. LakeQuality has not rated this lake (UNRATED) — 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.
What is the water quality grade for Big Island Lake?
- Big Island Lake in Schoolcraft County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 8.5 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 35 ft. Surface area: 139.6 acres.
Is Big Island Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Big Island Lake?
- Big Island Lake typically sits around 63°F at the surface in September, from 10 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Big Island Lake?
- Big Island Lake has a maximum depth of 35 feet. The lake covers 139.6 acres.
What fish are in Big Island Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Island Lake include Bluegill, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Smallmouth bass, Yellow perch. Big Island Lake is located in Schoolcraft County, Michigan.
Are there campgrounds on Big Island Lake?
- Big Island Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Petes Lake Recreation Area. This is a location join, not a booking. Cabins and hotels are listed separately; campsite reservations use the official link when the source provides one.
Explore Big Island Lake across LakeQuality
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Planning a trip around Pictured Rocks?
Big Island Lake is about 25 miles from Pictured Rocks 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 Pictured Rocks →More Michigan Lake Rankings
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Where this data comes from
3 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2017–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Eastern Regional Office
USFSEASTERN3 samples · 2017–2023
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles