12 miles southwest of Roscommon
Roscommon County, Michigan · 44.3426° N, 84.7286° W
Directions to Houghton Lake EastApple Maps
Directions open in Google or Apple Maps, to the Michigan DNR public access sites (3 listed; this is the first).
Updated 14 Oct 2026, 6:06 pm EDT. Get alerts for Houghton Lake
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).
Michigan DNR survey, fetched 7 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
20,075 acres · deepest 21 ft (measured) · shoreline about 35.7 mi · clarity about 9 ft
Houghton Lake is the largest of the 40 named lakes of 10 acres or more in Roscommon County. By Michigan DNR survey it is the 3rd deepest of the 6 with a measured depth. Its water is clearer than 11 of the other 22 lakes in the county with satellite clarity readings. Its shoreline measures about 35.7 miles along the state outline. About 0% of its area is deeper than 9 ft.
Ranks against Roscommon County lakes in Michigan hydrography, Michigan DNR lake surveys and Michigan EGLE satellite clarity; shoreline measured from the state outline. How we measure
3 public access sites on Houghton Lake.
Michigan DNR boating access, fetched 7 Oct 2026.
Michigan DNR has stocked Houghton Lake 59 times since 1979. The most recent stocking was 41,533 walleye on 17 June 2011. Species stocked: walleye.
Latest: 17 Jun 2011: 41,533 walleye.
Source: Michigan DNR Fisheries, fetched 7 Oct 2026. How we measure
Measured from Michigan DNR contours. How we measure
Historically recorded species, from records through 1971: black crappie, blackside darter, bluegill, bluntnose minnow, brown bullhead, central stoneroller, channel catfish, chestnut lamprey, common shiner, emerald shiner, hornyhead chub, johnny darter, largemouth bass, longnose gar, mimic shiner, northern logperch, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout, redfin shiner, rock bass, rosyface shiner, sand shiner, smallmouth bass, spotfin shiner, spottail shiner, tadpole madtom, walleye, western banded killifish, western blacknose dace, white sucker, yellow perch. Historic records, not a current survey.
Michigan Fish Atlas.
Average water clarity is about 9 ft (Secchi depth 2.6 m, satellite readings 2018–23).
Michigan EGLE satellite clarity, fetched 7 Oct 2026.
58 other lakes of 10+ acres within about 15 miles of Houghton Lake, 1 with a page here (darker blue); 3 public launches in magenta. Sources: Michigan DNR, US Census Bureau.
Michigan DNR survey; straight-line miles.
Houghton Lake is 21 feet at its deepest point, measured by Michigan DNR survey. It covers 20,075 acres.
Yes. 3 public access sites are listed: Houghton Lake East; Houghton Lake South (fisherman's Paradise); Houghton Lake West.
Yes. Michigan DNR has stocked it 59 times since 1979, most recently 41,533 walleye on 17 June 2011.
About 0% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Michigan DNR depth contours.