Houghton Lake

Located in Roscommon County, Michigan

Houghton Lake is located between US-127 and Interstate 75 in the northern peninsula of Michigan. It is less than three hours from Detroit and is one of the largest natural lakes in the U.S.

Houghton Lake is 4.5 miles wide and 7.5 miles long. The lake has approximately 32 miles of shoreline and a lake-area population of about 11,000 people. Houghton Lake is named for the state's first geologist, Douglass Houghton, who explored the area from 1832 to 1837.

The Cut River brings water from Higgins Lake to the north of Houghton Lake and is the lake's primary inflow. Houghton Lake is Michigan's largest inland lake. Its surface area is 20,044 acres, and it is the source of the Muskegon River, a river that eventually flows into Lake Michigan.

Several hospitals and medical facilities are in the area, including Grayling Hospital (a 28-minute drive) and Michigan Medical Center Clare (a 36-minute drive). The nearest airport is Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, which offers commercial flights all year long.

Houghton Lake

Houghton Lake supports various water sports in all seasons, and the lake is so large it never gets crowded. In the summertime, popular activities include boating, jet skiing, hiking, camping, golfing, and canoeing. Winter activities include snowmobiling, cross country skiing, hunting, and snowshoeing.

Fishing is one of Houghton Lake's most popular pastimes. The lake is considered one of the most popular fisheries in Michigan. It offers black bass, crappie, grayling, largemouth bass, Northern pike, perch, pike, walleye, and yellow perch for anglers to catch. In the winter, ice fishing is a huge sport on the lake.

Houghton Lake hosts the 7th largest winter festival in the U.S. the last two weekends every January. The festival began in 1951 and is called Tip-Up Town USA. The name of the festival comes from the flag-like devices, or the "tip-ups", used for ice fishing contests, which are a major part of the festival.

Besides fishing, the festival hosts several winter sports and games, a parade, mock elections for Mayors, Marshalls, and Queens, fireworks, a hidden medallion to be found with different clues given each day, and grand prize drawings.

What’s Nearby?

Three towns border the lake, Houghton Lake and Houghton Lake Heights to the southwest, and Prudenville to the southeast. A historic village in Prudenville includes a historic schoolroom built in 1876, a 19th-century pioneer village, a museum, a playhouse, and a wooded nature area.

The Houghton Lake Flats lay on the west edge of the lake and are 670 acres of marshy wetlands that were once connected to the lake. It is a prime wildlife area and there is an observation deck located on Old US-27 where nature lovers can view osprey and heron.

Enjoy Your Surroundings

Houghton Lake is a beautiful, popular getaway that you and your family will enjoy for years to come!