Best Lakes for Boating Near Detroit
Michigan
30 boating lakes within driving distance of Detroit, Michigan, ranked by water quality and boating-specific filters. Filtered for at least 100 acres and public access. The largest lakes with boat-worthy water are listed first.
Within reasonable driving distance of Detroit sit 30 measured lakes, a lake-dense area that gives residents real choice on any given weekend.
Filtered for boating, the nearby-lake list narrows further. boating-specific signals, fish species, public access, depth profile, motor-boat congestion, interact with the water-quality readings in different ways depending on the use case.
| # | Lake | County | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sylvan Lake | Oakland | 24.9 mi | 10.3 ft | - |
| 2 | Ore Lake | Livingston | 39.8 mi | 9 ft | 81 ft |
| 3 | North Lake | Washtenaw | 49.3 mi | 12.5 ft | 58 ft |
| 4 | Wing Lake | Oakland | 19.9 mi | - | 38 ft |
| 5 | Flat Rock Impoundment | Wayne | 20.6 mi | - | - |
| 6 | Walnut Lake | Oakland | 21.6 mi | - | 46 ft |
| 7 | Black Creek | Macomb | 21.6 mi | - | - |
| 8 | Lower Long Lake | Oakland | 21.8 mi | - | 42 ft |
| 9 | Island Lake | Oakland | 21.8 mi | - | 35 ft |
| 10 | Upper Long Lake | Oakland | 23 mi | 8 ft | - |
| 11 | Pine Lake | Oakland | 23.4 mi | - | 61 ft |
| 12 | Orchard Lake | Oakland | 24.2 mi | - | 110 ft |
| 13 | Belleville Lake | Wayne | 24.5 mi | - | 30 ft |
| 14 | Upper Straits Lake | Oakland | 24.6 mi | 14.5 ft | 96 ft |
| 15 | Cass Lake | Oakland | 25.2 mi | 11 ft | 123 ft |
| 16 | Otter Lake | Oakland | 25.7 mi | 10.3 ft | 70 ft |
| 17 | Walled Lake | Oakland | 25.8 mi | - | 52 ft |
| 18 | Green Lake | Oakland | 26.1 mi | 11.8 ft | 72 ft |
| 19 | Middle Straits Lake | Oakland | 26.2 mi | 10.3 ft | 55 ft |
| 20 | Elizabeth Lake | Oakland | 26.8 mi | 14 ft | 72 ft |
| 21 | Lower Straits Lake | Oakland | 27.1 mi | - | - |
| 22 | Wolverine Lake | Oakland | 27.3 mi | - | 50 ft |
| 23 | Stony Creek Lake | Macomb | 27.4 mi | - | 23 ft |
| 24 | Lower Straits Lake | Oakland | 27.4 mi | - | 31 ft |
| 25 | Union Lake | Oakland | 27.5 mi | - | 110 ft |
| 26 | Wolverine Lake | Oakland | 27.5 mi | - | - |
| 27 | Watkins Lake | Oakland | 28.2 mi | - | 35 ft |
| 28 | Watkins Lake | Oakland | 28.2 mi | - | - |
| 29 | Stony Creek Lake (Nort | Macomb | 28.5 mi | - | 23 ft |
| 30 | South Commerce Lake | Oakland | 28.5 mi | - | 40 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.