Golden Lake
Iron County, Michigan274 acresView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Golden Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- 100 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Golden Lake in Iron County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 23 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Maximum depth: 100 ft. Surface area: 273.6 acres.
Golden Lake is a 274-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Iron County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 100 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Iron County, Golden Lake ranks #10 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2023-08-27. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Golden Lake covers about 270 acres in Iron County. It has one public boat landing. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Golden Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Golden Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water23 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Camping1 public campground nearby
- Deep water100 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Golden 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 Golden Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Golden 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 23 ft down. Phosphorus 10 µg/L. TSI 35.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 23ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 10µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| 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. | 35 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Golden Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Lake Details
Max depth
100 ft
Surface area
274 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by EGLE
Recreation & Access
- Golden Lake CampgroundPublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Public campgrounds near Golden Lake
- Golden Lake Camp0.4 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
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Golden Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Golden Lake in Iron 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 Golden Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 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 →
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Fishing Golden Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 7 years of monitoring (2016–2023).
Water clarity
Worsening4 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+0.4 µg/L/yr7 years
Nearby Lakes in Iron County
Frequently asked questions about Golden Lake
Where is Golden Lake?
- Golden Lake is a lake in Iron County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Golden Lake?
- Golden Lake in Iron County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 23 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 10 µg/L. Maximum depth: 100 ft. Surface area: 273.6 acres.
Is Golden Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Golden Lake?
- Golden Lake has a maximum depth of 100 feet. The lake covers 273.6 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Golden Lake?
- Golden Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Golden Lake Campground. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Golden Lake?
- Golden 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.
Are there campgrounds on Golden Lake?
- Golden Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Golden Lake Camp. 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 Golden Lake across LakeQuality
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Fish species and best lakes in Iron County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Upper Peninsula area
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its readings
Michigan's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
54 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS54 samples · 2016–2023
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles