Long Lake
Grand Traverse County, Michigan2,911 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.
- 88 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Long Lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 24.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 88 ft. Surface area: 2911.4 acres.
- Clarity
- 24.3 ft
- Max depth
- 88 ft
- Area
- 2,911 acres
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Long Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Long Lake in Grand Traverse 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 Long Lake
Prices for Sep 11–13, 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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Long Lake → · more Michigan lake trips
Watch Long Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Free interactive depth-contour map of Long Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 88 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Michigan DNR.
Why Long Lake has no grade
Long 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, Long Lake is Not Rated — not an F. Its 24.3-foot median from 65 readings collected 2018–2022 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.
Long Lake is a 2,911-acre lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan with a maximum depth of 88 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 40 documented fish species including Blackchin shiner, Blacknose shiner, and Blackside darter. Public access is available.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-08. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Long Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water24.3 ft of visibility
- Fishing40 species recorded
- Deep water88 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water2,911 acres
Swimming Safety
Not ratedLimited data
The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water quality measurements for Long Lake
These readings exist but are not enough for an A–F grade — see why.
Crystal clear, you can see 24.3 ft down. TSI 31.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 24.3 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | No recent samples | |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 31 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 88 ft |
| Surface Area | 2,911 acres |
| Public Access | Yes |
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Long Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +1.143 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.52 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.04 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Graded lakes near Long Lake
Long Lake has no grade, but these lakes within a short drive do.
Nearby Lakes in Grand Traverse County
Frequently asked questions about Long Lake
Where is Long Lake?
- Long Lake is a lake in Grand Traverse 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 Long Lake?
- Long Lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan is not rated for water quality — its monitoring record does not meet the evidence bar. Water clarity: 24.3 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 88 ft. Surface area: 2911.4 acres.
Is Long Lake safe to swim in?
- The letter is not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Long Lake?
- Long Lake has a maximum depth of 88 feet. The lake covers 2911.4 acres.
What fish are in Long Lake?
- Fish species found in Long Lake include Blackchin shiner, Blacknose shiner, Blackside darter, Blackstripe topminnow, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Brook silverside, Brown bullhead, Central mudminnow, Central stoneroller, Creek chub, Golden redhorse, Golden shiner, Grass pickerel, Green sunfish, Hornyhead chub, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Lake herring, Lake whitefish, Largemouth bass, Longnose gar, Mimic shiner, Northern logperch, Northern longear sunfish, Northern pearl dace, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Rainbow trout, Rock bass, Sand shiner, Smallmouth bass, Spotted gar, Striped shiner, Walleye, Warmouth, Western banded killifish, White sucker, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch. Long Lake is located in Grand Traverse County, Michigan.
Explore Long Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Grand Traverse County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Grand Traverse Region area
Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
Michigan's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Long Lake is about 20 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 Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Lakes in Michigan
Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
65 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2018–2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- North American Lake Management Society
NALMS65 samples · 2018–2022
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.