Largest lakes & reservoirs in Northwest Michigan by shoreline length
The length of the exterior shoreline around a lake is measured at the lake’s normal elevation. The shoreline length can be considerably shorter or longer when lake water levels are lower or higher than normal. A lake with many coves has a much longer shoreline than a lake of similar surface area that is nearly circular in shape.When known, the shoreline miles that we report in our statistics include only the lake’s exterior shoreline, and exclude the shorelines of islands located within a lake’s boundaries. In lakes with many islands, those islands’ combined shorelines may exceed a lake’s exterior shoreline.
You can find many of the world’s longest-shoreline lakes on LakeLubbers. Note: For some lakes, "Longest Shorelines" data is unknown or does not apply, so this table may display 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 longest shoreline length in miles. 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  |
Shoreline length in miles |
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) |
5,463 mi | 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) |
1,638 mi | 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… |
| Lake Charlevoix, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
60 mi | 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… |
| Torch Lake, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
41 mi | 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 Leelanau, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
41 mi | 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… |
| Walloon Lake, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
30 mi | 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… |
| Elk Lake, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
26 mi | 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… |
| Crystal Lake, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
21 mi | 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”.… |
| Long Lake Grand Traverse County, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
17 mi | Long Lake, near Traverse City in Grand Traverse County, is a popular vacation destination with activities and vistas that lighten the soul. Whether yo… |
| Intermediate Lake, MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
15 mi | Also known as Central Lake, Elk River Chain of Lakes Intermediate Lake, in Antrim County is one of the main lakes in the Elk River Chain of Lakes which include Beals, Scotts, Six Mile, St. Clair, Ellswor… |
| Otsego Lake MI (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
12 mi | 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… |
| Lake Bellaire (Michigan, Northwest Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA) |
12 mi | Also known as Grass Lake Michigan has a bounty of beautiful lakes, and those found in Antrim County are no exception. Lake Bellaire is situated to the east of Lake Michigan; t… |