Lake May is a lake in Presque Isle County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.

How deep is Lake May?

Lake May has a maximum depth of 20 feet and an average depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 189.3 acres.

Are there boat ramps on Lake May?

Lake May has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Mary. Public access is listed as yes.

Can I fish at Lake May?

Lake May 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.

Lake May

Presque Isle County, Michigan189 acresView map Directions

No nutrient or algae sampling on record from EGLE for this lake.

Max depth

20 ft

Bathymetric survey

Area

189 acres

Surface area

Shoreline

1.4 mi

Measured length

20 ft max depth
Public access

See the measurements Directions Where to stay

Lake May in Presque Isle County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 189.3 acres.

Loading map…

Water clarity at Lake May

Moderate clarity. Across summers from 2018 to 2023, Lake May averaged 2.3 m (8 ft) of visibility down into the water, so visibility is middling in midsummer, which is ordinary for a productive inland lake.

Nobody has taken a water sample here that we can find. Michigan's environmental agency measures clarity on lakes like this one from satellite images instead, which is why this page reports how clear the water is and no phosphorus or algae readings.

Clear is not the same as clean. A lake can be easy to see through and still carry high nutrient levels, and a naturally tea-stained lake can be perfectly healthy. The nutrient and algae readings on other lakes come from phosphorus and chlorophyll-a measured in a laboratory, and clarity alone cannot stand in for them.

The same satellite images put summer algae here at roughly 4.69 micrograms per litre. Estimating algae from orbit is far less exact than measuring clarity, so that figure is worth knowing and is not part of any rating.

Lake May is a 189-acre lake in Presque Isle County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 20 feet (17-foot average). Limited fish-species data available. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.

Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE. Methodology: how these readings are compared.

What Lake May is good for

From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.

Boat launch1 documented ramp

Swimming conditions

No reading

Not rated

Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.

Whether Lake May 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.

Compare swimming lakes near Traverse City →

Get alerts for Lake May →

Water quality measurements for Lake May

These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Lake May, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.

No clarity data. TSI undefined.

Ask about Lake May

Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.

Lake Details

Max depth

20 ft

Average depth

17 ft

Surface area

189 acres

Shoreline

1.4 mi

Public access

Yes

Listed by EGLE

Recreation & Access

Boat Landings

Yes

Public Access

Lake MaryPublic

Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps

Stays via Stay22

Stays near Lake May

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake May in Presque Isle 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 Lake May

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 Lake May’s readings

Email me when new measurements post for this lake. Updates stay free.

Or email

Fishing Lake May

→ Lake May fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)

Nearby Lakes in Presque Isle County

Lake Ella1.1 miView →Sportsmen Lake1.4 miView →Lake Ferdelman1.7 miView →Marl Bed Lake2.3 miView →Drum Lake2 miView →Lake Louise2.3 miView →

Frequently asked questions about Lake May

Where is Lake May?: Lake May is a lake in Presque Isle County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake May?: Lake May in Presque Isle County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Maximum depth: 20 ft. Surface area: 189.3 acres.
Is Lake May safe to swim in?: Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Lake May?: Lake May has a maximum depth of 20 feet and an average depth of 17 feet. The lake covers 189.3 acres.
Are there boat ramps on Lake May?: Lake May has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Mary. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake May?: Lake May 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.