Little Platte Lake
Benzie County, Michigan896 acresView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Platte Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 8 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Little Platte Lake in Benzie County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 896 acres.
Little Platte Lake is a 896-acre mesotrophic lake in Benzie County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 8 feet. The lake supports 8 documented fish species including Bluntnose minnow, Common shiner, and Johnny darter. Public access is available. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Benzie County, Little Platte Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2021-09-09. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Little Platte Lake covers about 900 acres in Benzie County. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Little Platte Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Little Platte Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing8 species recorded
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 Little Platte 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 Little Platte Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Little Platte Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 6.5 ft. Phosphorus 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.8 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 12µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.8µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Little Platte Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Little Platte Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 71°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (71°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 24 field readings (2021–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Platte Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
8 ft
Surface area
896 acres
Public access
Yes
Listed by EGLE
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Little Platte Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Platte Lake in Benzie 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 Platte Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fish Species
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Fishing Little Platte Lake
Nearby Lakes in Benzie County
Frequently asked questions about Little Platte Lake
Where is Little Platte Lake?
- Little Platte Lake is a lake in Benzie County, Michigan. Its water-quality measurements are published by EGLE and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Little Platte Lake?
- Little Platte Lake in Benzie County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 8 ft. Surface area: 896 acres.
Is Little Platte Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Little Platte Lake?
- Little Platte Lake typically sits around 71°F at the surface in September, from 24 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Platte Lake?
- Little Platte Lake has a maximum depth of 8 feet. The lake covers 896 acres.
What fish are in Little Platte Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Platte Lake include Bluntnose minnow, Common shiner, Johnny darter, Largemouth bass, Northern longear sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Smallmouth bass, Yellow perch. Little Platte Lake is located in Benzie County, Michigan.
Can I fish at Little Platte Lake?
- Public access to Little Platte Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. 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 Little Platte Lake across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its readings
Michigan's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Little Platte Lake is about 15 miles from Sleeping Bear Dunes 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 Sleeping Bear Dunes →More lakes in Michigan
Other Lakes in Michigan
Mesotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
17 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS17 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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.