Smoky Lake
Iron County, MichiganView mapDirections
Clarity, phosphorus, and algae sit in the clean band for this region.
↓ down from A at the last regrade
- Oligotrophic
- #13 of 21 in the county
- 47 ft max depth
- Public access
Smoky Lake in Iron County, Michigan has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 24 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.8 µg/L.
- Clarity
- 24 ft
- Typical in September
- 65°F
- Max depth
- ~47 ft est.
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Phosphorus
- 7.8 µg/L
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Smoky Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Smoky Lake in Iron 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 Smoky 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 Smoky Lake → · more Michigan lake trips
Watch Smoky Lake’s letter
Email me if this lake’s grade moves. Grades stay free.
Or email
Smoky Lake is a cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Iron County, Michigan with an estimated average depth of about 47 feet. Water quality is graded B based on 1 sampling years through 2026. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 1 documented fish species including Lake herring. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 20 other monitored lakes in Iron County, Smoky Lake ranks #13 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, EGLE, last sampled 2026-07-19. Grade methodology: LakeQuality methodology.
What Smoky Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water24 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
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 B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Crystal clear, you can see 24 ft down. Phosphorus 7.8 µg/L. TSI 33. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 24 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 7.8 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No recent samples | |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 33 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
Water Temperature
Smoky Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in Feb (about 33°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 144 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Smoky Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | ~47 ft est. |
| Average Depth | ~28 ft est. |
| Public Access | Yes |
Depth marked “est.” is a modeled maximum from GLOBathy (Khazaei et al. 2022, CC0), not a measured survey. Michigan has not published bathymetry for Smoky Lake.
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS). Mean depth here is modelled, not surveyed — HydroLAKES v1.0 estimates lake depth from surrounding terrain rather than from soundings. Treat it as an approximation, and prefer a state bathymetric survey where one exists.
Recreation & Access
- Smoky LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Smoky Lake
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 11 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.319 m/yr | 10 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.79 µg/L/yr | 7 |
County Ranking
Ranked #13 of 21 lakes in Iron County
Nearby Lakes in Iron County
Frequently asked questions about Smoky Lake
Where is Smoky Lake?
- Smoky Lake is a lake in Iron County, Michigan. LakeQuality grades it B for nutrients and algae. The letter is not a swimming clearance.
What is the water quality grade for Smoky Lake?
- Smoky Lake in Iron County, Michigan has a water quality grade of B (Good). Water clarity: 24 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7.8 µg/L.
Is Smoky Lake safe to swim in?
- The B is nutrients and algae, not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Smoky Lake?
- Smoky Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 144 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Smoky Lake?
- No published bathymetric survey covers Smoky Lake, so its depth has not been measured. The HydroLAKES global model estimates an average depth of about 47 feet, but that is a modelled estimate derived from surrounding terrain rather than a measurement on the water, so treat it as approximate.
What fish are in Smoky Lake?
- Fish species found in Smoky Lake include Lake herring. Smoky Lake is located in Iron County, Michigan.
Are there boat ramps on Smoky Lake?
- Smoky Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Smoky Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Smoky Lake across LakeQuality
Fish species and top-graded lakes across Michigan
Fish species and best lakes in Iron County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Upper Peninsula area
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
More Michigan Lake Rankings
Other Grade B Lakes in Michigan
Oligotrophic Lakes in Michigan
Where this data comes from
116 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2016–2026. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-26.
Collected and reported by
- Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
WIDNR_WQX116 samples · 2016–2026
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory