Little Beaver Lake
Alger County, Michigan40 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.
- 30 ft max depth
- Limited data
Little Beaver Lake in Alger County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 40.2 acres.
- Clarity
- 6.2 ft
- Typical in September
- 66°F
- Max depth
- 30 ft
- Area
- 40 acres
- Trend
- → Stable
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Little Beaver Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Beaver Lake in Alger 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 Little Beaver Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Watch Little Beaver Lake’s letter
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Free interactive depth-contour map of Little Beaver Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 30 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Little Beaver Lake has no grade
Little Beaver 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, Little Beaver Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 6.2-foot median from 25 readings collected 2016–2024 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.
Little Beaver Lake is a 40-acre lake in Alger County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 30 feet.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2024-08-21. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Little Beaver Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Camping2 public campgrounds nearby
- Deep water30 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 Little Beaver Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Murky, only visible to about 6.2 ft. TSI 51.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 51 | Eutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Water Temperature
Little Beaver Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 67°F) and coldest in Jun (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 469 field readings (2010–2024) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Beaver Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 30 ft |
| Surface Area | 40 acres |
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Little Beaver Lake
- Little Beaver Lake0.1 km
- Little Beaver Lake0.1 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
Fishing Little Beaver Lake
Water Quality Trend: → Stable
Based on 9 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.029 m/yr | 9 |
Graded lakes near Little Beaver Lake
Little Beaver Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Alger County
Frequently asked questions about Little Beaver Lake
Where is Little Beaver Lake?
- Little Beaver Lake is a lake in Alger 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 Little Beaver Lake?
- Little Beaver Lake in Alger County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 30 ft. Surface area: 40.2 acres.
Is Little Beaver Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Little Beaver Lake?
- Little Beaver Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 469 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2024). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Beaver Lake?
- Little Beaver Lake has a maximum depth of 30 feet. The lake covers 40.2 acres.
Are there campgrounds on Little Beaver Lake?
- Little Beaver Lake has 2 public campgrounds from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including Little Beaver Lake, Little Beaver Lake. 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 Little Beaver Lake across LakeQuality
18.2 mi away · 75 ft
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Fish species and best lakes in Alger County
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Planning a trip around Pictured Rocks?
Little Beaver Lake is about 2 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
25 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- National Park Service Water Resources Division
11NPSWRD_WQX25 samples · 2016–2024
Analytical methods
- Secchi Disk
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
Public campgrounds from USGS The National Map Structures, within about 3 miles