Crystal Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Benzie County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2022. Water clarity is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 9 documented fish species including Black crappie, Burbot, and Johnny darter. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 34 other monitored lakes in Benzie County, Crystal Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Michigan DNR, last sampled 2022-09-08. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A, Excellent
Crystal clear, you can see 32 ft down. Trophic State Index: 27.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 32 ft | A |
| Phosphorus | No data | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 27 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Crystal Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Crystal Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Source: USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) Database. Hover a chip to see scientific name, ecological context, status, and first-observed year.
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +7.43 m/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.1 µg/L/yr | 2 |
Recreation & Access
Location & Depth Map
Free interactive depth-contour map of Crystal Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 175 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 35 lakes in Benzie County
Nearby Lakes in Benzie County
Explore Crystal Lake across LakeGrade
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Benzie County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
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More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Michigan
Leelanau County · Clarity: 12.7 ft
Manistee County · Clarity: 10.8 ft
Leelanau County · Clarity: 15.5 ft
Leelanau County · Excellent
Leelanau County · Clarity: 11.2 ft
Leelanau County · Clarity: 11.2 ft
Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
More records, surveys & data sources
EPA Impairment Status
Crystal Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040601040305-03 · Official waterbody report
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth is a modeled estimate.
Regulated Pollution Sources Nearby
1 EPA-permitted facility operate within about 5 miles of Crystal Lake under Clean Water Act (NPDES) discharge permits.
- Village Of BeulahBeulah · 4 mi away · NPDES MIG960001
Facilities permitted to discharge under the Clean Water Act within ~5 miles; proximity does not by itself mean a facility affects this lake. Source: EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES), as of 2026-07.
Data Sources
Water quality data from the EPA Water Quality Portal
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Regulated discharger data from EPA ECHO (ICIS-NPDES)
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Grading methodology based on Metropolitan Council standards
Public boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Most recent sample: 2022-09-08
Monitoring stations: 1