Long Lake is the largest lake in Grand Traverse County, Michigan.[2] It is located about 15 minutes west of Traverse City. It is locally known for being a great fishing and recreation lake, especially boating its 4.6 square miles. The Carter-Strong Bird Sanctuary is a protection area at the southwestern end of the lake.[3] Long Lake is the 36th largest lake in Michigan by surface area and hosts the largest nesting population of loons in the Lower Peninsula.
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Long Lake | |
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![]() Dusk view of Long Lake from the north shore | |
![]() ![]() Long Lake | |
Location | Grand Traverse County, Michigan (Long Lake Township & Green Lake Township) |
Coordinates | 44.7°N 85.7°W / 44.7; -85.7 |
Type | Lake |
Primary inflows | Mickey Lake, Ruth Lake, Fern Lake, Page Lake |
Primary outflows | Platte River [1] |
Max. length | 3.96 mi (6.37 km) |
Max. width | 1.86 mi (2.9 km) |
Surface area | 2,860 acres (12 km2)[1] |
Average depth | 26 ft (8 m) |
Max. depth | 88 ft (27 m)[1] |
Shore length1 | 16.71 mi (26.9 km) |
Surface elevation | 846 feet (258 m)[2] |
Islands | Picnic Island, Long Island, Fox Island, South Island, Brush Island |
Settlements | Neal (ghost town), Long Lake Peninsula |
1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. |
Long Lake is the namesake of Long Lake Township.
Long Lake is located in Northern Michigan, in northwestern Grand Traverse County. It is mainly situated within Long Lake Township, of which it has lent its name, although a small portion of the southern end of the lake lies within Green Lake Township.
Long Lake is primary headwaters of the Platte River, which flows westward from the lake, warming as it flows to Lake Michigan in neighboring Benzie County.[4]
Long Lake is well-known in the area for being a popular recreation lake.
There are three public parks on the shores of the lake:[5]
Many homeowners on the lake also own boats. Boaters on the lake choose to swim, water ski, and fish. Many varieties of fish live in the lake, but fishers tend to find bluegill, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, sunfish, walleye and yellow perch.[6]
Below is a list of the islands in Long Lake:
Fox and South Islands are the site of local Boy Scouts camps. These islands are also owned by the Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy.[8]
Below is a list of the coves in Long Lake:
Loon Cove, located in the southeastern corner of the lake, is the site of a protected loon nesting area. Additional protected loon nests are located at Fox Island and in the Carter Strong Bird Sanctuary on adjoining Ruth Lake.