Houghton Lake (Michigan)
Houghton Lake is the name of two
lakes in the
lower peninsula of the
U.S. state of
Michigan.
Houghton Lake is a large lake in
Roscommon County. The
unincorporated community of
Prudenville is at the southeastern end of the lake, while the unincorporated community of
Houghton Lake and Houghton Lake Heights is on the southwest and west shores. It is the largest inland lake in the state of Michigan, and one of the largest
natural inland lakes in the United States (many man-made impoundments are much larger). The lake is approximately 7 1/2 miles (12 km) north to south, and about 4 1/2 miles (7 km) at it widest point. Houghton Lake has 30 miles (48 km) of total shoreline and its waters cover 20,044 acres (81 km²). It is an extremely popular resort and fishing area 12 months of the year. Houghton Lake is the site of Tip-Up-Town USA[
1], a large
ice fishing and winter sports festival with several events on the frozen waters of the lake itself. Houghton Lake is named after the first state geologist,
Douglass Houghton who explored the area.[
2]
The lake receives the waters of
Higgins Lake through the
Cut River and, in turn, is the headwaters for the
Muskegon River, which flows out of the North Bay in the northwest corner of the lake. The lake is partially within four townships:
Markey Township on the northeast,
Denton Township on the southeast,
Roscommon Township on the southwest, and
Lake Township on the northwest. The lake is mid to late
mesotrophic in profile, and considered a warm water, shallow lake, with the average depth being 7 1/2 feet. The deepest spot is a small hole in East Bay that has been sounded to 22 feet, but it is rare to encounter depths of greater than 17 feet in the lake. The lake offers almost every species of game and
panfish found in Michigan with the exception of the trout/salmon families, the sturgeon, and white bass. Common catches include
northern pike,
bluegill,
walleye,
crappie,
yellow perch and
largemouth bass.
Michigan State Highway 55 follows the southern shore, while
U.S. Highway 27 passes just to the west.
Michigan State Highway 18 and
Interstate 75 pass just to the east.
There is another Houghton Lake in
section 9 of
Cumming Township in
Ogemaw County. It is about a mile and a half southeast of
Rose City at .
