Loon Lake
Benzie County, Michigan94 acresView mapDirections
EGLE publishes the water-quality measurements for Loon Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Oxygen depletion (low DO)
- Limited data
Loon Lake in Benzie County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Surface area: 93.6 acres.
Loon Lake is a 94-acre mesotrophic lake in Benzie County, Michigan. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including Black bullhead, Blackchin shiner, and Bluegill. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Benzie County, Loon Lake ranks #17 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2022-09-10. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Loon Lake covers about 94 acres in Benzie County. If you are planning to stay, you can search lake houses and cabins around Loon Lake on Vrbo, or look for a hotel room near the lake on Booking.com or Expedia.
What Loon Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12 ft of visibility
- Fishing13 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. Loon Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Loon 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 Loon Lake
These are the measurements EGLE publishes for Loon Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Phosphorus 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 2.1 µg/L. TSI 38.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 12ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 8µg/L | Measured, not scored The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 2.1µg/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. | 38 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Loon Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Loon Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 57°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 59°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (51°F) to its warmest (59°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 148 field readings (2013–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Loon Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Surface area
94 acres
No bathymetric survey has been published for Loon Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Loon Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Loon 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 Loon Lake
Prices for Oct 23–25, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Michigan’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Loon Lake
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 9 years of monitoring (2016–2024).
Water clarity
Worsening9 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.54 µg/L/yr9 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.13 µg/L/yr2 years
EPA Impairment Status
Loon Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 5).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Aquatic life.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MI040601040206-05 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Benzie County
Frequently asked questions about Loon Lake
Where is Loon Lake?
- Loon 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 Loon Lake?
- Loon Lake in Benzie County, Michigan has water-quality measurements published by EGLE, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.1 µg/L. Surface area: 93.6 acres.
Is Loon Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Loon Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 5) for oxygen depletion (low DO). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Loon Lake?
- Loon Lake typically sits around 59°F at the surface in September, from 148 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2013–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
What fish are in Loon Lake?
- Fish species found in Loon Lake include Black bullhead, Blackchin shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Central mudminnow, Green sunfish, Lake herring, Largemouth bass, Pumpkinseed, Rock bass, Western banded killifish, White sucker, Yellow perch. Loon Lake is located in Benzie County, Michigan.
Explore Loon Lake across LakeQuality
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Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Loon Lake is about 16 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
16 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2022. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Michigan EGLE - MiCorps
21MICH_MICORPS16 samples · 2022
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.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database