Largest lakes & reservoirs in Northwest Michigan by acres
There is no widely-accepted minimum surface area that defines a lake. What LakeLubbers describes as a lake, you might call a pond. Acreage of a lake (or sometimes square kilometers) is most often measured at the top surface area when the lake is at normal elevation. The surface area can be considerably smaller or larger when lake levels are lower or higher than normal. North America’s Lake Superior is the world’s largest freshwater lake by this measure.The other measure of a lake’s size is the lake’s water volume. By that measure, the world’s largest freshwater lake is Lake Baikal in Siberia.
You can find many of the world’s largest lakes (acres) on LakeLubbers in the comparison table below. Note: For some lakes, "Largest Lakes - Acres" data is unknown or does not apply, so you may see fewer lakes than the total 24 articles we have published for Northwest Michigan lakes.
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Below are lakes within USA > US Midwest Region > Michigan > Northwest Michigan > Compared by surface area in acres. This list does not represent all lakes in Northwest Michigan, only the 24 Northwest Michigan lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Surface area in acres |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Michigan-Huron (Canada, Chicagoland Region, IL, Great Lakes of North America, Illinois, Indiana, Lake Michigan Region, WI, Michigan, North Indiana, Northeast Michigan, Northwest Michigan, Ontario, Canada, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA, Upper Peninsula Region, MI, West Central Michigan, Wisconsin) |
29,062,400 ac | Lake Michigan and Lake Huron – two of North America’s Great Lakes – are contiguous and they share the same elevation of 577 feet above sea level. They… |
| Lake Michigan (Chicagoland Region, IL, Great Lakes of North America, Illinois, Indiana, Lake Michigan Region, WI, Michigan, North Indiana, Northwest Michigan, Southwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA, Upper Peninsula Region, MI, West Central Michigan, Wisconsin) |
14,336,000 ac | As the only Great Lake nestled completely within the boundaries of the United States, Lake Michigan is the pride and joy of Wisconsin, Illinois, India… |
| Torch Lake, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
18,770 ac | Torch Lake holds the dual distinction as Michigan’s longest inland lake (18 miles) and its second largest inland lake (18,770 acres). The lake’s unpar… |
| Lake Charlevoix, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
17,256 ac | Also known as Pine Lake Lake Charlevoix is one of the most famous of northern Michigan lakes primarily because of its popularity among boaters of all types. Originally called… |
| Crystal Lake, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
9,711 ac | Also known as Cap Lake Crystal Lake, in northwestern Michigan’s Benzie County, wouldn’t be the beautiful sandy-shored lake it is today without the “Tragedy of Crystal Lake”.… |
| Lake Leelanau, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
8,320 ac | Also known as Carp Lake Michigan is a bounty of natural resources – a place where every town is less than two hours from a body of water. Among these bodies of water, Lake Le… |
| Elk Lake, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
7,730 ac | A visit to Elk Lake is a fisherman’s dream come true. The huge lake is nearly 200 ft deep in some areas and is actually deep enough to offer lake trou… |
| Big Glen Lake, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
4,871 ac | Looking down on the surprisingly blue water and sandy shores of Big Glen Lake, she can see why it is called Inspiration Point. The view across the lak… |
| Walloon Lake, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
4,320 ac | Walloon Lake – Hemingway’s Michigan. Ernest Hemingway was born here, spent 22 youthful summers here and came back to the lake for his honeymoon. The H… |
| Long Lake Grand Traverse County, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
2,860 ac | Long Lake, near Traverse City in Grand Traverse County, is a popular vacation destination with activities and vistas that lighten the soul. Whether yo… |
| Portage Lake (Manistee County), MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
2,110 ac | Portage Lake is a fantastic stop for Lake Michigan travelers. The lake is connected to Lake Michigan by a channel. Boating and sailing visitors often… |
| Otsego Lake MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
1,972 ac | A plane’s deep droning in the distance becomes louder and louder as visitors at Otsego Lake look up towards the sky. Those new to the scene quickly re… |