Updated 9 Oct 2026, 2:14 am EDT. Get alerts for Lake County lakes
National Weather Service; National Interagency Fire Center; U.S. EPA CyAN satellite; Michigan DHHS; Michigan DNR. Weather, warnings, fires and satellite refresh when you open the page (checked at most hourly).
78 lakes · 3,979 acres · 31 with measured depth · 8 with a public launch · 8 stocked
Lake County has 78 lakes of 10 acres or more, 74 of them named, covering 3,979 acres of water. The largest is Big Star Lake at 890 acres; the deepest measured is Sand Lake at 50 ft. Michigan DNR has surveyed the depth of 31 lakes here.
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.
5 lakes in Lake County cover 100 acres or more. The 12 largest are listed here; the full register of 74 named lakes follows.
| Lake | Acres | Deepest | Clarity | Launches | Last stocked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Star Lake | 890 | about 25 ft (est.) | 13 ft | 1 | 2025 |
| Wolf Lake | 407 | about 10 ft (est.) | 13 ft | 2019 | |
| Bass Lake | 296 | 45 ft | 13 ft | 1 | |
| Syers Lake | 148 | 18 ft | 3 ft | ||
| Idlewild Lake | 105 | 22 ft | 12 ft | 1 | |
| Loon Lake | 93 | 25 ft | 15 ft | 2016 | |
| Harper Lake | 83 | about 60 ft (est.) | 15 ft | 1 | 2020 |
| Cool Lake | 79 | 43 ft | 22 ft | 2018 | |
| Sauble Lake #1 | 66 | 38 ft | 16 ft | ||
| Cecilia Lake | 60 | 30 ft | 16 ft | ||
| Little Bass Lake | 55 | 40 ft | 14 ft | ||
| North Lake | 54 | 28 ft | 7 ft | 1 |
| Lake | Acres | Deepest | Clarity | Launches | Last stocked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big Star Lake | 890 | about 25 ft (est.) | 13 ft | 1 | 2025 |
| Wolf Lake | 407 | about 10 ft (est.) | 13 ft | 2019 | |
| Bass Lake | 296 | 45 ft | 13 ft | 1 | |
| Syers Lake | 148 | 18 ft | 3 ft | ||
| Idlewild Lake | 105 | 22 ft | 12 ft | 1 | |
| Loon Lake | 93 | 25 ft | 15 ft | 2016 | |
| Harper Lake | 83 | about 60 ft (est.) | 15 ft | 1 | 2020 |
| Cool Lake | 79 | 43 ft | 22 ft | 2018 | |
| Sauble Lake #1 | 66 | 38 ft | 16 ft | ||
| Cecilia Lake | 60 | 30 ft | 16 ft | ||
| Little Bass Lake | 55 | 40 ft | 14 ft | ||
| North Lake | 54 | 28 ft | 7 ft | 1 | |
| Sand Lake | 54 | 50 ft | 20 ft | 1986 | |
| Wingleton Lake | 54 | about 25 ft (est.) | 17 ft | ||
| Little Lake Number One | 52 | 42 ft | 13 ft | ||
| Noud Lake | 50 | about 20 ft (est.) | 12 ft | ||
| Orchard Lake | 50 | 15 ft | 10 ft | ||
| Rainbow Lake | 47 | 25 ft | 12 ft | 2017 | |
| Elbow Lake | 47 | 30 ft | |||
| Reed Lake | 46 | 45 ft | 14 ft | 1 | |
| Oxbow Lake | 43 | about 30 ft (est.) | 12 ft | ||
| Gifford Lake | 41 | 35 ft | 13 ft | ||
| Twin Lakes (east) | 40 | about 40 ft (est.) | 19 ft | ||
| Paradise Lake | 38 | 30 ft | 17 ft | 1 | |
| Sauble Lake #4 | 38 | 24 ft | 18 ft | ||
| Little Star Lake | 37 | 25 ft | 14 ft | ||
| Big Spring Lake | 36 | about 15 ft (est.) | |||
| Rockwell Lake | 34 | about 35 ft (est.) | 9 ft | ||
| Whalen Lake | 33 | 26 ft | 13 ft | ||
| Conna-Mara Lake | 29 | about 25 ft (est.) | 11 ft | ||
| Mench Lake | 29 | 15 ft | 8 ft | ||
| Basford Lake | 28 | 25 ft | 14 ft | 2020 | |
| Nugent Lake | 27 | 30 ft | 15 ft | ||
| Sauble Lake #3 | 26 | 27 ft | 16 ft | ||
| Bluegill Lake | 25 | 30 ft | 10 ft | ||
| Twin Lakes (west) | 25 | about 35 ft (est.) | 16 ft | ||
| Railroad Lake | 24 | about 30 ft (est.) | 15 ft | ||
| Howe Lake | 23 | about 25 ft (est.) | 9 ft | ||
| Government Lake | 23 | 15 ft | 8 ft | ||
| Bray Lake | 22 | 18 ft | 13 ft | ||
| Leverentz Lake | 22 | about 25 ft (est.) | 14 ft | 1 | |
| Seaman Lake | 21 | about 30 ft (est.) | 12 ft | ||
| Hamlin Lake | 21 | about 35 ft (est.) | 13 ft | ||
| Cashion Lake | 21 | about 25 ft (est.) | 8 ft | ||
| Midget Lake | 20 | ||||
| Duck Lake | 20 | about 30 ft (est.) | |||
| Hill Lake | 19 | about 40 ft (est.) | 16 ft | ||
| Indian Lake | 18 | about 25 ft (est.) | 11 ft | ||
| Putman Lake | 18 | about 30 ft (est.) | 13 ft | ||
| Danaher Lake | 18 | about 25 ft (est.) | 15 ft | ||
| Little Lake Number Two | 17 | about 30 ft (est.) | 15 ft | ||
| Shonenya Lake | 17 | about 35 ft (est.) | 15 ft | ||
| Bush Lake | 17 | about 25 ft (est.) | 18 ft | ||
| Pleasant Lake | 17 | about 25 ft (est.) | 13 ft | ||
| Gillen Springs | 16 | about 25 ft (est.) | 17 ft | ||
| Jenks Lake | 16 | about 30 ft (est.) | 14 ft | ||
| Wile Lake | 16 | about 30 ft (est.) | 16 ft | ||
| Squaw Lake | 16 | about 30 ft (est.) | 16 ft | ||
| Alice Lake | 15 | about 30 ft (est.) | 16 ft | ||
| Heart Lake | 15 | about 25 ft (est.) | 17 ft | ||
| South Lake | 15 | about 30 ft (est.) | 15 ft | ||
| Foreman Lakes | 14 | 15 ft | |||
| Coon Lake | 14 | 5 ft | |||
| Deer Lake | 14 | 11 ft | |||
| Watermill Lake | 13 | 26 ft | 16 ft | ||
| Pomeroy Lakes | 13 | 8 ft | |||
| Roby Lake | 12 | 6 ft | |||
| Beaver Lake | 12 | ||||
| Brand Lake | 12 | 12 ft | |||
| Ahmikwam Lake | 12 | 10 ft | |||
| List Lake | 11 | 10 ft | |||
| McCarthy Lake | 11 | 10 ft | 10 ft | ||
| Little Lake Number Thr | 11 | ||||
| Little Syers Lake | 10 | 18 ft | 15 ft |
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.
21 lakes in Lake County are 25 ft deep or more by Michigan DNR survey. Sand Lake is the deepest at 50 ft, then Bass Lake (45 ft), Reed Lake (45 ft) and Cool Lake (43 ft). The depth of the other 43 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 67 lakes with satellite readings, the middle value in Lake County is 13 ft. The clearest is Cool Lake at about 22 ft, then Sand Lake (20 ft), Twin Lakes (east) (19 ft) and Bush Lake (18 ft). The least clear is Syers Lake at about 3 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 8 public access sites on 8 lakes in Lake County; 8 require a Recreation Passport. The other 66 named lakes have no public access site listed by Michigan DNR.
| Lake | Site | Facilities |
|---|---|---|
| Big Star Lake | Big Star Lake | 2 ramp lanes · 50 trailer spaces · vault toilet · accessible restroom · Recreation Passport required |
| Bass Lake | Big Bass Lake | 1 ramp lane · 17 trailer spaces · vault toilet · accessible restroom · Recreation Passport required |
| Idlewild Lake | Idlewild Lake | 5 car spaces · vault toilet · accessible restroom · Recreation Passport required |
| Harper Lake | Harper Lake | 1 ramp lane · 7 trailer spaces · vault toilet · accessible restroom · Recreation Passport required |
| North Lake | North Lake | 1 ramp lane · 3 trailer spaces · 3 car spaces · Recreation Passport required |
| Reed Lake | Reed Lake | 1 ramp lane · 6 trailer spaces · 2 car spaces · vault toilet · accessible restroom · Recreation Passport required |
| Paradise Lake | Paradise Lake | 1 ramp lane · 10 trailer spaces · 3 car spaces · vault toilet · accessible restroom · Recreation Passport required |
| Leverentz Lake | Big Leverentz Lake | 1 ramp lane · 4 trailer spaces · 2 car spaces · vault toilet · accessible restroom · Recreation Passport required |
Michigan DNR boating access sites, fetched 8 Oct 2026.
Michigan DNR has stocked 8 lakes in Lake County 124 times since 1979. Walleye went into 4 lakes: Basford Lake, Big Star Lake, Loon Lake and Wolf Lake. The most recent stocking was 60,528 walleye in Big Star Lake on 26 June 2025. Rivers and smaller waters stocked in the county: Baldwin River, Danaher Creek, Lake Olga, Little Manistee River, Little South Branch Pere Marquette River, Middle Branch Pere Marquette River, Pere Marquette River and Twin Lakes and 1 more.
| Species | Lakes | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Hybrid sunfish | 6 | Basford Lake, Cool Lake, Harper Lake, Loon Lake, Rainbow Lake and Wolf Lake |
| Fathead minnow | 6 | Basford Lake, Cool Lake, Harper Lake, Loon Lake, Rainbow Lake and Wolf Lake |
| Walleye | 4 | Basford Lake, Big Star Lake, Loon Lake and Wolf Lake |
| Yellow perch | 4 | Cool Lake, Harper Lake, Loon Lake and Rainbow Lake |
| Rainbow trout | 2 | Harper Lake and Sand Lake |
| Largemouth bass | 1 | Basford Lake |
| Northern pike | 1 | Wolf Lake |
| Brown trout | 1 | Harper Lake |
| Bluegill | 1 | Wolf Lake |
| Tiger muskellunge | 1 | Big Star Lake |
2025: 1 stocking, 60,528 fish in 1 lake.
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
CAUTION Blooms were reported, not tested, on Seaman Lake. Check current advisories before swimming.
Michigan DHHS has records for 3 lakes in Lake 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.
78 lakes of 10 acres or more, 74 of them named, in Michigan's hydrography layer. Smaller ponds are not counted.
Big Star Lake, at 890 acres.
Sand Lake, 50 ft at its deepest point by Michigan DNR survey.
Cool Lake, with an average Secchi depth of about 22 ft (satellite readings, 2018–23).
Michigan DNR lists public access sites on Big Star Lake, Bass Lake, Idlewild Lake, Harper Lake, North Lake, Reed Lake, Paradise Lake and Leverentz Lake.
Basford Lake, Big Star Lake, Loon Lake and Wolf 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.