Elk Lake, Antrim County, Michigan
8,194 acres
Surface Area
192 ft
Max Depth
69.9 ft
Average Depth
589 ft
Surface Elevation
Where It Sits, and How Deep It Goes
Locator - Michigan
44.86 degrees N, 85.38 degrees W - Antrim 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 - Elk Lake
Schematic cross-section drawn to one shared depth scale - not a survey or bathymetric map.
How Elk Lake Stacks Up
- Ranks #2 for depth among the 2160 natural lakes counted in Michigan so far.
- Its average depth of 69.9 ft is more than 6 times a typical shallow Michigan lake, which averages under 10 ft.
- About 13 miles from Traverse City, as the crow flies.
Facts and Figures
Waterbody ID5-2
CountyAntrim
Species Stocked by Michigan DNRBrown Trout, Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout
Coordinates44.8561, -85.3797
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 5-2); USGS; Michigan DNR IFR Technical Report 2004-2, Table 1. Verified October 30, 2026.