Skip to main content
LakeQuality
Sunset over the pine treeline on Slim Lake, the sun reflected on light chop

Upper Peninsula

Michigan's Upper Peninsula holds thousands of inland lakes spread across northern forest, from Canadian Shield bedrock country in the west to limestone terrain near Lake Michigan. Lake Gogebic is the largest inland lake in the UP, and wilderness waters such as the Sylvania Wilderness and Craig Lake State Park offer some of the most remote paddling and walleye and smallmouth fishing in the Midwest.

Reviewed by LakeQuality Editorial Team · Updated
129
Lakes
47
With Fish Data
LakeCountyClarityDepthFish
Moon Lake Central Basin; Watersmeet TownshipGogebic18 ft-0
Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates TownshipIron15.5 ft-0
Ellen Lake South Central Basin; Mansfield TownshipIron17 ft-0
Lake Mary Northwest Basin; Mastodon TownshipIron18 ft-0
Duck Lake North Basin; Watersmeet TownshipGogebic9.5 ft-16
Perch Lake Central Basin; Bates TownshipIron6 ft-0
Big Maggie Lake; Mastodon TownshipIron11 ft-0
Langford LakeGogebic6 ft-0
Long LakeGogebic12 ft-40
Saint Mary'S River Shore LakeChippewa--0
Second Fortune Lake; Crystal Falls TownshipIron21.8 ft-0
Lake DesorKeweenaw7.8 ft-1
Lake RichieKeweenaw8.3 ft-11
Smoky LakeIron24 ft-1
Beaver LakeAlger14.7 ft-14
Beaver LakeKeweenaw8 ft-16
Lake HarveyKeweenaw10.5 ft-5
Trapper'S LakeAlger7.5 ft-0
Feldtmann LakeKeweenaw7.3 ft-3
Lake GeorgeKeweenaw8 ft-9
Chapel LakeAlger7.9 ft-0
Sargent LakeKeweenaw10.4 ft-1
Legion LakeAlger9.3 ft-0
Grand Sable LakeAlger8.9 ft-0
Miners LakeAlger6.2 ft-0
Siskiwit LakeKeweenaw19.3 ft-2
Lake AhmikKeweenaw7 ft-2
Fishhawk Lake East Basin; Watersmeet TownshipGogebic10 ft-0
West Bay LakeGogebic8 ft-0
Big Affrica Lake; Central Basin; Watersmeet TownshipGogebic7 ft-0
Gratiot LakeKeweenaw19 ft-1
Ottawa Lake Central Basin; Stambaugh TownshipIron20 ft-0
Chicagon Lake Central Basin; Stambaugh TownshipIron20.3 ft-1
Record Lake; Central Basin; Watersmeet TownshipGogebic10.3 ft-0
Little Africa Lake; Central Basin; Watersmeet TownshipGogebic4 ft-0
Crystal Lake; East Central Basin; Watersmeet TownshipGogebic11 ft-16
Stager Lake Central BasinIron13 ft-9
Golden Lake Central Basin;Iron River TownshipIron--0
Spectacle LakeChippewa--0
North PondChippewa--11
Community College PondChippewa1.5 ft-0
South PondChippewa1.3 ft-6
Cisco Lake Central Basin; Watersmeet TownshipGogebic8 ft-0
Lake Gogebic; North Deep Basin; Bergland TownshipOntonagon6.5 ft-1
Lake Gogebic; South Deep Basin; Marenisco TownshipGogebic6.5 ft-1
Chickenbone LakeKeweenaw6.1 ft-1
Indian Lake; Central Basin; Watersmeet TownshipGogebic--0
East Bay Lake; Central Basin; Watersmeet TownshipGogebic4.5 ft-0
Mamie Lake; North Central Basin; Watersmeet TownshipGogebic4.5 ft-0
West Maggie Lake; Mastodon TownshipIron8 ft-0
Camp LakeIron16 ft-0
Camp Lake; Deep Basin; Stambaugh TownshipIron16 ft-0
Moon LakeGogebic18 ft-0
Lake EllenIron18 ft-0
Little Beaver LakeAlger6.2 ft-0
Second LakeIron22.5 ft-0
First LakeIron21 ft-0
Blue LakeIron20.5 ft-3
Sunset LakeIron14.5 ft-0
Back Bay Deep LakeChippewa8.2 ft-0
Back Bay Waiskey River LakeChippewa2.9 ft-0
Whitefish Bay Shore LakeChippewa--0
Whitefish Bay Deep LakeChippewa34.4 ft-0
Poor LakeGogebic10 ft-0
East Bay LakeGogebic4.5 ft-0
Louis Lake East Central Basin; Waucedah TownshipDickinson12.5 ft-2
Stanley Lake Central Basin; Stambaugh TownshipIron8.5 ft-0
Chicagon LakeIron20.3 ft-2
Duck LakeGogebic9.5 ft-16
Fishhawk LakeGogebic9.5 ft-0
Crystal LakeGogebic10 ft-16
Lake MaryIron19.5 ft-1
Morley LakeGogebic7 ft-0
Deer Island LakeGogebic11.8 ft-0
Long LakeGogebic11.5 ft-40
Louise LakeDickinson12.5 ft-1
Swan LakeIron9 ft-0
Big African LakeGogebic7.3 ft-0
Perch LakeIron6 ft-1
Hamilton Lake Central BasinDickinson11.5 ft-0
Long Lake West BasinGogebic11.5 ft-0
Thousand Island LakeGogebic12 ft-1
Record LakeGogebic9.3 ft-0
Mcnearney LakeChippewa18.5 ft-0
Lake GratiotKeweenaw17.8 ft-0
West Bay LakeGogebic7.3 ft-0
Lake IndependenceMarquette9 ft-0
Tie LakeAlger15 ft-0
Clearwater LakeGogebic5 ft-0
Mary Lake Central Basin Southeast; Waucedah TownshipDickinson13.8 ft-0
Stanley LakeIron9.3 ft-0
Tie Lake; Deep Basin; Munising TownshipAlger15 ft-0
Clark LakeGogebic15.7 ft-1
Mary LakeDickinson13.8 ft-1
Lake OttawaIron25 ft-0
Cable LakeIron7.3 ft-0
Little African LakeGogebic4 ft-0
Cable Lake Central BasinIron7.5 ft-0
Big Island LakeSchoolcraft9.2 ft-5
Lindsley LakeGogebic13.5 ft-0

Showing 100 of 129 lakes.

Ways to pick a Upper Peninsula lake

Cleanest water

Documented game fish

Cleanest Lakes in Upper Peninsula

Moon Lake Central Basin; Watersmeet Township

Gogebic County · 18 ft clarity

Sunset Lake West Central Basin; Bates Township

Iron County · 15.5 ft clarity

Ellen Lake South Central Basin; Mansfield Township

Iron County · 17 ft clarity

Lake Mary Northwest Basin; Mastodon Township

Iron County · 18 ft clarity

Duck Lake North Basin; Watersmeet Township

Gogebic County · 9.5 ft clarity

Perch Lake Central Basin; Bates Township

Iron County · 6 ft clarity

Other Lake Regions

Brainerd Lakes
Minnesota
Boundary Waters Area
Minnesota
Alexandria Lakes
Minnesota
Detroit Lakes Area
Minnesota
Otter Tail County
Minnesota
Lake Vermilion Area
Minnesota
Park Rapids Area
Minnesota
Mille Lacs Area
Minnesota
Northwoods Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Hayward Lakes
Wisconsin
Minocqua Chain
Wisconsin
Door County
Wisconsin
Madison Area Lakes
Wisconsin
Finger Lakes
New York
Adirondacks
New York
Grand Traverse Region
Michigan
Irish Hills
Michigan
Chain O'Lakes
Illinois
Iowa Great Lakes
Iowa
Lake of the Ozarks
Missouri
Table Rock & Branson Lakes
Missouri
Devils Lake Region
North Dakota
Northern Indiana Lake Country
Indiana

Plan a trip in Michigan

The State of Michigan's Lakes

Michigan's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements

Michigan Fishing Guide

Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Michigan

Lake Fishing Forecast

Species activity outlook by water temperature and season

Michigan Lake Trips

Where to stay at Michigan's top lakes, each with its readings

Lakes near Detroit

Cleanest lakes within 50 miles of Detroit

Lakes near Grand Rapids

Cleanest lakes within 50 miles of Grand Rapids

Lakes near Traverse City

Cleanest lakes within 50 miles of Traverse City

Frequently Asked Questions

The Upper Peninsula area has 129 lakes with water-quality records from state and federal monitoring. 120 of them have a clarity reading and 47 have documented fish species.

Cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Upper Peninsula are on the map below with live availability. A lake with low nutrient and algae readings is the better swim and cabin pick when water quality is part of the trip.

The lakes with the lowest nutrient and algae readings lead the table above. Each lake page shows its own phosphorus, chlorophyll-a and clarity readings beside the EPA condition class; none of it is a same-day swim clearance.

Where to stay near Upper Peninsula

Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Upper Peninsula — then explore the interactive map to find a place to stay close to the water.

Top-rated places to stay near Upper Peninsula

Prices for Oct 9–11, 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 to Upper Peninsula?

Get lake water-quality updates plus the best cabin & lodging deals near Upper Peninsula — straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.