Updated 9 Oct 2026, 2:10 am EDT. Get alerts for Kalkaska County lakes
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66 lakes · 6,390 acres · 40 with measured depth · 9 with a public launch · 15 stocked
Kalkaska County has 66 lakes of 10 acres or more, 60 of them named, covering 6,390 acres of water. The largest is Lake Skegemog at 2,766 acres; the deepest measured is Twin Lake at 80 ft. Michigan DNR has surveyed the depth of 40 lakes here. Several names repeat: 2 lakes are called Bear Lake, 2 lakes are called Blue Lake and 2 lakes are called Bass Lake.
Lake outlines: Michigan hydrography (lakes of 10 acres or more). Depths: Michigan DNR lake surveys, fetched 7 Oct 2026. County line: U.S. Census TIGER. Not for navigation.
7 lakes in Kalkaska County cover 100 acres or more. The 12 largest are listed here; the full register of 60 named lakes follows.
| Lake | Acres | Deepest | Clarity | Launches | Last stocked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Skegemog | 2,766 | 29 ft | 11 ft | ||
| Manistee Lake | 874 | about 20 ft (est.) | 10 ft | 2026 | |
| Bear Lake, Bear Lake Township | 313 | 50 ft | 23 ft | 1 | 2026 |
| Twin Lake | 209 | 80 ft | 22 ft | 1 | 2026 |
| Crawford Lake | 161 | 8 ft | 5 ft | ||
| Grass Lake | 125 | 15 ft | 10 ft | ||
| Blue Lake, Blue Lake Township | 108 | 80 ft | 23 ft | 1 | 2026 |
| Starvation Lake | 99 | 47 ft | 21 ft | 1 | 2026 |
| East Lake | 94 | 15 ft | 12 ft | 1 | 2001 |
| Pickerel Lake | 93 | 72 ft | 19 ft | 1 | 2024 |
| Little Twin Lake | 85 | 31 ft | |||
| Twentyeight Lakes (cen | 81 | 10 ft | 8 ft |
| Lake | Acres | Deepest | Clarity | Launches | Last stocked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Skegemog | 2,766 | 29 ft | 11 ft | ||
| Manistee Lake | 874 | about 20 ft (est.) | 10 ft | 2026 | |
| Bear Lake, Bear Lake Township | 313 | 50 ft | 23 ft | 1 | 2026 |
| Twin Lake | 209 | 80 ft | 22 ft | 1 | 2026 |
| Crawford Lake | 161 | 8 ft | 5 ft | ||
| Grass Lake | 125 | 15 ft | 10 ft | ||
| Blue Lake, Blue Lake Township | 108 | 80 ft | 23 ft | 1 | 2026 |
| Starvation Lake | 99 | 47 ft | 21 ft | 1 | 2026 |
| East Lake | 94 | 15 ft | 12 ft | 1 | 2001 |
| Pickerel Lake | 93 | 72 ft | 19 ft | 1 | 2024 |
| Little Twin Lake | 85 | 31 ft | |||
| Twentyeight Lakes (cen | 81 | 10 ft | 8 ft | ||
| Long Lake | 67 | 20 ft | 11 ft | ||
| Squaw Lake | 66 | 5 ft | 16 ft | ||
| Cub Lake | 57 | 23 ft | 9 ft | 1 | 2024 |
| North Blue Lake | 56 | 78 ft | 22 ft | 2026 | |
| East Lakes | 46 | about 25 ft (est.) | 15 ft | ||
| Bear Lake, Bear Lake Township | 44 | about 15 ft (est.) | 1 ft | ||
| Indian Lake | 42 | about 15 ft (est.) | 12 ft | 1 | |
| South Selkirk Lake | 41 | 35 ft | 13 ft | ||
| Bass Lake, Orange Township | 41 | 22 ft | 10 ft | ||
| Wheeler Lake | 40 | 11 ft | 7 ft | ||
| Twentyeight Lakes (wes | 34 | 3 ft | |||
| Bass Lake, Blue Lake Township | 31 | 42 ft | 1993 | ||
| Guernsey Lake | 31 | 46 ft | 14 ft | 1 | 2025 |
| North Selkirk Lake | 28 | 25 ft | 14 ft | ||
| Island Lake | 27 | 15 ft | 3 ft | ||
| Blue Lake, Kalkaska Township | 26 | 13 ft | 3 ft | ||
| Mud Lake | 26 | 12 ft | |||
| Oxbow Lake | 26 | 32 ft | |||
| Log Lake | 25 | 60 ft | 19 ft | 2004 | |
| Johnsons Lake | 25 | 20 ft | 8 ft | ||
| Eagle Lake | 25 | 20 ft | 20 ft | ||
| Smith Lake, Kalkaska Township | 24 | about 25 ft (est.) | 2 ft | ||
| North Crooked Lake (so | 23 | about 25 ft (est.) | 17 ft | ||
| Ingersoll Lake | 22 | 22 ft | 8 ft | ||
| Perch Lake | 21 | about 25 ft (est.) | 14 ft | 2014 | |
| Little Guernsey Lake | 21 | about 20 ft (est.) | 9 ft | ||
| Sickle Lake | 21 | about 25 ft (est.) | 7 ft | ||
| Kettle Lake | 21 | about 30 ft (est.) | 14 ft | ||
| Lake Five | 19 | about 20 ft (est.) | 6 ft | ||
| Upper Black Lake | 16 | about 30 ft (est.) | 9 ft | ||
| Middle Black Lake | 16 | about 25 ft (est.) | 16 ft | ||
| Loon Lake | 16 | about 15 ft (est.) | 8 ft | ||
| Rainbow Lake | 15 | 49 ft | 10 ft | 1986 | |
| Price Lake | 14 | 3 ft | |||
| Cranberry Lake | 14 | 25 ft | 7 ft | ||
| Lake Placid | 14 | 79 ft | 15 ft | ||
| North Crooked Lake (no | 14 | 10 ft | |||
| Papoose Lake | 13 | 17 ft | 10 ft | ||
| Timber Lake | 13 | 49 ft | 20 ft | ||
| Smith Lake, Kalkaska Township | 12 | 31 ft | 17 ft | ||
| Jones Lake | 12 | 18 ft | 8 ft | ||
| Rugg Pond | 12 | 2 ft | |||
| Little Blue Lake | 12 | 3 ft | |||
| Post Lake | 12 | 6 ft | 10 ft | ||
| Wellman Mill Pond | 11 | 5 ft | 2014 | ||
| LittleN Guernsey Lake | 11 | ||||
| Breeds Lake | 10 | 6 ft | |||
| Twentyeight Lakes (eas | 10 |
Acres: Michigan hydrography. Deepest: Michigan DNR survey; "est." marks an older Michigan EGLE estimate, rounded to 5 ft. Clarity: Michigan EGLE satellite averages 2018–23. Launches: Michigan DNR. Stocking: Michigan DNR Fisheries. Fetched 7–8 Oct 2026.
4 lakes in Kalkaska County are 75 ft deep or more by Michigan DNR survey. Twin Lake is the deepest at 80 ft, then Blue Lake, Blue Lake Township (80 ft), Lake Placid (79 ft) and North Blue Lake (78 ft). The depth of the other 20 named lakes has not been surveyed; where an older state estimate exists, the register gives it as an estimate.
Michigan DNR lake survey deep points, fetched 7 Oct 2026.
Clarity is the depth at which a black-and-white Secchi disk disappears from view. Across 51 lakes with satellite readings, the middle value in Kalkaska County is 10 ft. The clearest is Blue Lake, Blue Lake Township at about 23 ft, then Bear Lake, Bear Lake Township (23 ft), Twin Lake (22 ft) and North Blue Lake (22 ft). The least clear is Bear Lake, Bear Lake Township at about 1 ft. Clarity is not a test for bacteria or algae toxins.
Michigan EGLE satellite-derived Secchi depth, averages 2018–23, fetched 7 Oct 2026.
Michigan DNR lists 9 public access sites on 9 lakes in Kalkaska County; 9 require a Recreation Passport. The other 51 named lakes have no public access site listed by Michigan DNR.
| Lake | Site | Facilities |
|---|---|---|
| Bear Lake, Bear Lake Township | Bear Lake | 1 ramp lane · 10 trailer spaces · 6 car spaces · vault toilet · accessible restroom · Recreation Passport required |
| Twin Lake | Big Twin Lake | 1 ramp lane · 5 trailer spaces · vault toilet · accessible restroom · Recreation Passport required |
| Blue Lake, Blue Lake Township | Big Blue Lake | 1 ramp lane · 2 car spaces · vault toilet · accessible restroom · Recreation Passport required |
| Starvation Lake | Starvation Lake | 1 ramp lane · 6 trailer spaces · 3 car spaces · vault toilet · accessible restroom · Recreation Passport required |
| East Lake | East Lake | 1 ramp lane · 9 trailer spaces · 7 car spaces · vault toilet · accessible restroom · Recreation Passport required |
| Pickerel Lake | Pickerel Lake SFCG | 1 ramp lane · 6 trailer spaces · 3 car spaces · Recreation Passport required |
| Cub Lake | Cub Lake | 1 ramp lane · 4 trailer spaces · 4 car spaces · vault toilet · Recreation Passport required |
| Indian Lake | Indian Lake | 1 ramp lane · 8 trailer spaces · vault toilet · accessible restroom · Recreation Passport required |
| Guernsey Lake | Guernesey Lake SFCG | 1 ramp lane · 4 trailer spaces · 4 car spaces · vault toilet · accessible restroom · Recreation Passport required |
Michigan DNR boating access sites, fetched 8 Oct 2026.
Michigan DNR has stocked 15 lakes in Kalkaska County 469 times since 1979. Walleye went into 5 lakes: Cub Lake, East Lake, Manistee Lake, Perch Lake and Pickerel Lake. The most recent stocking was 45,775 walleye in Manistee Lake on 25 June 2026. Bear Lake, Twin Lake, Blue Lake, Starvation Lake, North Blue Lake and Guernsey Lake are designated trout lakes (Type B, Type C), with their own seasons and limits. Rivers and smaller waters stocked in the county: Manistee River, North Branch Boardman River and Rapid River.
| Species | Lakes | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Rainbow trout | 9 | Bass Lake, Blue Lake Township, Bear Lake, Bear Lake Township, Blue Lake, Blue Lake Township, Guernsey Lake, Log Lake and Rainbow Lake and 3 more |
| Walleye | 5 | Cub Lake, East Lake, Manistee Lake, Perch Lake and Pickerel Lake |
| Brown trout | 5 | Bear Lake, Bear Lake Township, Guernsey Lake, Starvation Lake, Twin Lake and Wellman Mill Pond |
| Brook trout | 4 | Bear Lake, Bear Lake Township, Blue Lake, Blue Lake Township, North Blue Lake and Wellman Mill Pond |
| Lake trout | 3 | Blue Lake, Blue Lake Township, North Blue Lake and Twin Lake |
| Golden shiner | 1 | Manistee Lake |
| Fathead minnow | 1 | Manistee Lake |
| Northern pike | 1 | East Lake |
| Splake | 1 | Blue Lake, Blue Lake Township |
2026: 9 stockings, 85,216 fish in 6 lakes.
Michigan DNR Fisheries stocking records, fetched 8 Oct 2026. Each stocking is placed by its survey section, so lakes that share a name are kept apart. How we measure
Michigan DHHS has records for 3 lakes in Kalkaska County: water samples tested for the toxin microcystin, and bloom reports from the public that may not have been tested. 0 lakes have measured at or above the EPA swimming guideline of 8 ppb at least once.
Michigan DHHS harmful algal bloom records, fetched 7 Oct 2026; U.S. EPA 2019 recreational criteria. Beach E. coli testing is not yet covered here.
66 lakes of 10 acres or more, 60 of them named, in Michigan's hydrography layer. Smaller ponds are not counted.
Lake Skegemog, at 2,766 acres.
Twin Lake, 80 ft at its deepest point by Michigan DNR survey.
Blue Lake, Blue Lake Township, with an average Secchi depth of about 23 ft (satellite readings, 2018–23).
Michigan DNR lists public access sites on Bear Lake, Bear Lake Township, Twin Lake, Blue Lake, Blue Lake Township, Starvation Lake, East Lake, Pickerel Lake, Cub Lake and Indian Lake and 1 more.
Cub Lake, East Lake, Manistee Lake, Perch Lake and Pickerel Lake, by Michigan DNR stocking records.
Michigan DHHS has algae records for 3 lakes here; 0 measured at or above the EPA swimming guideline of 8 ppb at least once.