Lakes / Michigan / Crystal Lake
Crystal Lake, Benzie County, Michigan
9,865 acres
Surface Area
175 ft
Max Depth
599 ft
Surface Elevation
Where It Sits, and How Deep It Goes
Locator - Michigan
44.66 degrees N, 86.16 degrees W - Benzie County. State and county outlines drawn from Census boundary data; the lake marker is placed by its Michigan DNR coordinates, not by eye. Schematic - not a survey map.
Depth Profile - Crystal Lake
Schematic cross-section drawn to one shared depth scale - not a survey or bathymetric map.
How Crystal Lake Stacks Up
- Ranks #3 for depth among the 2160 natural lakes counted in Michigan so far.
- The largest lake in Benzie County among those counted.
- About 27 miles from Traverse City, as the crow flies.
Facts and Figures
Waterbody ID10-42
CountyBenzie
Species Stocked by Michigan DNRAtlantic Salmon, Brown Trout, Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout
Coordinates44.6642, -86.1609
Deepest Natural Lakes in Michigan
| # | Lake | County | Surface Area | Max Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Torch Lake | Antrim | 18,713 acres | 285 ft |
| 2 | Elk Lake | Antrim | 8,194 acres | 192 ft |
| 3 | Crystal Lake | Benzie | 9,865 acres | 175 ft |
| 4 | Lake Angeline | Marquette | - | 162 ft |
| 5 | Syphon Lake | Luce | 11 acres | 160 ft |
Largest Lakes in Michigan
| # | Lake | County | Surface Area | Max Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Houghton Lake | Roscommon | 20,070 acres | 21 ft |
| 2 | Torch Lake | Antrim | 18,713 acres | 285 ft |
| 3 | Burt Lake | Cheboygan | 17,393 acres | 73 ft |
| 4 | Lake Charlevoix | Charlevoix | 17,256 acres | 120 ft |
| 5 | Mullett Lake | Cheboygan | 16,702 acres | 120 ft |
Sources: Michigan DNR lake data (ID 10-42); USGS. Verified October 30, 2026.