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LakeQuality

Best Lakes Near Traverse City, MI

50 lakes within 50 miles of Traverse City ranked by water quality grade.

Traverse City sits in a lake-rich part of the upper Midwest: 50 graded lakes within reach, average grade A. Long Lake (A) leads the cluster.

The lakes below are sorted by composite LakeGrade rubric score. If you have a specific activity in mind — swimming, kayaking, ice-fishing, family-fishing — the activity-specific sub-pages will filter further.

50
Lakes Within 50 mi
50
Grade A Lakes
36
With Fish Data
0
Public Access
LakeDistanceCountyGradeDepthFish
Long Lake7.1 miGrand TraverseA-40
Long Lake North Central Basin; Long Lake Township7.2 miGrand TraverseA-10
Mickey Lake7.4 miGrand TraverseA-0
Mickey Lake7.4 miGrand TraverseA-0
Arbutus Lake North Basin8 miGrand TraverseA-1
Arbutus Lake North Central Basin8 miGrand TraverseA-0
Arbutus Lake Central Basin8.4 miGrand TraverseA-2
Arbutus Lake South Central Basin8.7 miGrand TraverseA-2
Arbutus Lake9.1 miGrand TraverseA-0
Island Lake10.2 miGrand TraverseA-4
Ransom Lake10.6 miBenzieA-0
Lake View; Almira Twp12.1 miBenzieA-0
Lake View12.1 miBenzieA-0
Sanford Lake12.5 miBenzieA-17
Elk Lake12.9 miAntrimA-27
Lime Lake14.1 miLeelanauA-1
Lime Lake15.3 miBenzieA-15
Birch Lake16.7 miAntrimA-2
Fisher Lake18.5 miLeelanauA-0
Glen Lake18.9 miLeelanauA-1
Lake Leelanau; North Basin19.6 miLeelanauA-0
Torch Lake20.7 miAntrimA-3
Crystal Lake28 miBenzieA-9
Round Lake28.1 miBenzieA-37
Round Lake28.1 miBenzieA-37
Pickerel Lake31.7 miKalkaskaA-29
Little Twin Lake32 miKalkaskaA-0
Lower Herring Lake East Basin; Blaire Township32.1 miBenzieA-25
Twin Lake32.4 miKalkaskaA-13
Big Twin Lake Southeast Basin; Blue Lake Township32.5 miKalkaskaA-9
Cub Lake Central Basin32.9 miKalkaskaA-14
Cub Lake32.9 miKalkaskaA-5
Bear Lake33.3 miKalkaskaA-4
Eagle Lake33.4 miKalkaskaA-5
Eagle Lake Central Basin; Blue Lake Township33.4 miKalkaskaA-5
Bear Lake Southeast Basin33.5 miKalkaskaA-9
Starvation Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township33.5 miKalkaskaA-3
Papoose Lake Central Basin; Blue Lake Township33.8 miKalkaskaA-7
Papoose Lake33.9 miKalkaskaA-7
Indian Lake34 miKalkaskaA-2
Indian Lake Northeast Basin; Blue Lake Township34.1 miKalkaskaA-11
Squaw Lake34.5 miKalkaskaA-8
Lake Sapphire35.4 miMissaukeeA-0
Big Blue Lake North Basin; Blue Lake Township35.8 miKalkaskaA-17
Bass Lake Northeast Basin36.2 miKalkaskaA-12
Lake Charlevoix36.3 miCharlevoixA-3
Tippy Pond Pine Arm37.9 miManisteeA-0
Tippy Pond by Dam38.1 miManisteeA-0
Tippy Pond Manistee Arm39.1 miManisteeA-0
Lake Charlevoix39.5 miCharlevoixA-3

Top-Rated Lakes Near Traverse City

Long Lake

7.1 mi · Grand Traverse County · Grade A

Long Lake North Central Basin; Long Lake Township

7.2 mi · Grand Traverse County · Grade A

Mickey Lake

7.4 mi · Grand Traverse County · Grade A

Mickey Lake

7.4 mi · Grand Traverse County · Grade A

Arbutus Lake North Basin

8 mi · Grand Traverse County · Grade A

Arbutus Lake North Central Basin

8 mi · Grand Traverse County · Grade A

Lakes Near Other Cities

Minneapolis, MNSt. Paul, MNDuluth, MNRochester, MNBrainerd, MNSt. Cloud, MNMankato, MNBemidji, MNGrand Rapids, MNAlexandria, MNMoorhead, MNWillmar, MNPark Rapids, MNDetroit Lakes, MNEly, MNMilwaukee, WIMadison, WIGreen Bay, WIEau Claire, WIWausau, WILa Crosse, WIAppleton, WIOshkosh, WIStevens Point, WIRhinelander, WIMinocqua, WIHayward, WIEagle River, WIWisconsin Dells, WIChicago, ILRockford, ILDetroit, MIGrand Rapids, MIDes Moines, IACedar Rapids, IAColumbus, OHCleveland, OHPittsburgh, PAErie, PASyracuse, NYRochester, NYAlbany, NYSt. Louis, MOKansas City, MOSpringfield, MOIndianapolis, INFort Wayne, INFargo, NDBismarck, NDDevils Lake, NDSioux Falls, SD

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes are near Traverse City?

There are 50 graded lakes within 50 miles of Traverse City, Michigan. 50 of these have an A water quality grade (excellent).

What are the best lakes near Traverse City for fishing?

36 lakes near Traverse City have documented fish species data. The best fishing lakes combine good water quality grades with diverse fish populations. 23 lakes within 50 miles have 5 or more documented fish species.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.