Otter Lake
Benzie County, Michigan64 acresView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae all sit in the cleanest band for this region.
- Oligotrophic
- #11 of 21 in the county
- Limited data
Otter Lake in Benzie County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.4 µg/L. Surface area: 64 acres.
- Clarity
- 12 ft
- Typical in September
- 72°F
- Area
- 64 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
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Stays near Otter Lake
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Watch Otter Lake’s letter
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Otter Lake is a 64-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Benzie County, Michigan. Water quality is graded A based on 1 sampling years through 2021. The lake supports 30 documented fish species including Bigmouth shiner, Black bullhead, and Black crappie. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Benzie County, Otter Lake ranks #11 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2021-09-09. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Otter Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12 ft of visibility
- Fishing30 species recorded
- Camping1 public campground nearby
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 12 ft. Phosphorus 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.4 µg/L. TSI 38. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 12 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 11 µg/L | Not graded |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.4 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Water Temperature
Otter Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 62°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 59 field readings (2021–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Otter Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Surface Area | 64 acres |
No bathymetric survey has been published for Otter Lake, so its depth is not documented here.
Recreation & Access
Public campgrounds near Otter Lake
- White Pine Backcountry Campground1.9 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
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Otter Lake
County Ranking
Ranked #11 of 21 lakes in Benzie County
Nearby Lakes in Benzie County
Frequently asked questions about Otter Lake
Where is Otter Lake?
- Otter Lake is a lake in Benzie County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it A for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Otter Lake?
- Otter Lake in Benzie County, Michigan has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 12 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 11 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.4 µg/L. Surface area: 64 acres.
Is Otter Lake safe to swim in?
- The A is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Otter Lake?
- Otter Lake typically sits around 72°F at the surface in September, from 59 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
What fish are in Otter Lake?
- Fish species found in Otter Lake include Bigmouth shiner, Black bullhead, Black crappie, Blacknose shiner, Bluegill, Bluntnose minnow, Brown bullhead, Burbot, Golden shiner, Iowa darter, Johnny darter, Lake herring, Lake sturgeon, Largemouth bass, Longnose sucker, Mimic shiner, Northern logperch, Northern pike, Rock bass, Sand shiner, Sauger, Shorthead redhorse, Silver lamprey, Silver redhorse, Smallmouth bass, Spottail shiner, Trout-perch, Walleye, White sucker, Yellow perch. Otter Lake is located in Benzie County, Michigan.
Are there campgrounds on Otter Lake?
- Otter Lake has 1 public campground from USGS The National Map within 5 km, including White Pine Backcountry Campground. 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 Otter Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Benzie County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its grade
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Michigan's cleanest and most-polluted lakes, ranked
Planning a trip around Sleeping Bear Dunes?
Otter Lake is about 13 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 Grade A Lakes in Michigan
Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
15 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_MICORPS15 samples · 2021
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 445.0 ~ EPA; Chlorophyll and Pheophytin in Algae by Fluorescence
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