Blue Lake
Kalkaska County, Michigan108 acresView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Blue Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 80 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Blue Lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 24 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 80 ft. Surface area: 108.4 acres.
Blue Lake is a 108-acre lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 80 feet. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 3 documented fish species including Brook stickleback, Brook trout, and Central mudminnow. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2019-09-08. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Blue Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water24 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing3 species recorded
- Deep water80 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Blue Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Blue Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Blue Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 24 ft down. TSI 31.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 24ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 31 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Blue Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Max depth
80 ft
Surface area
108 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by EGLE
Recreation & Access
- Blue LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Blue Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Blue Lake in Kalkaska 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 Blue Lake
Prices for Oct 16–18, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Michigan’s top lakes →
Follow Blue Lake’s readings
Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.
Or email
Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Blue Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 8 years of monitoring (2016–2023).
Water clarity
Improving8 years
Phosphorus
Improving-0.42 µg/L/yr7 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.03 µg/L/yr6 years
Nearby Lakes in Kalkaska County
Frequently asked questions about Blue Lake
Where is Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake is a lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake in Kalkaska County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 24 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 80 ft. Surface area: 108.4 acres.
Is Blue Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake has a maximum depth of 80 feet. The lake covers 108.4 acres.
What fish are in Blue Lake?
- Fish species found in Blue Lake include Brook stickleback, Brook trout, Central mudminnow. Blue Lake is located in Kalkaska County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Blue Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Blue Lake?
- Blue Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Michigan's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Blue Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Kalkaska County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Grand Traverse Region area
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its readings
Michigan's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
More lakes in Michigan
Other Lakes in Michigan
Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
65 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2019. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS65 samples · 2016–2019
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory