Lakes / Michigan / Houghton Lake
Houghton Lake, Roscommon County, Michigan
20,070 acres
Surface Area
21 ft
Max Depth
8.4 ft
Average Depth
1,137 ft
Surface Elevation
Where It Sits, and How Deep It Goes
Locator - Michigan
44.32 degrees N, 84.71 degrees W - Roscommon 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 - Houghton Lake
Schematic cross-section drawn to one shared depth scale - not a survey or bathymetric map.
How Houghton Lake Stacks Up
- The largest lake counted in Michigan by surface area - 20,070 acres.
- The largest lake in Roscommon County among those counted.
- About 54 miles from Traverse City, as the crow flies.
Facts and Figures
Waterbody ID72-78
CountyRoscommon
Species Stocked by Michigan DNRWalleye
Coordinates44.3156, -84.7144
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 72-78); USGS. Verified October 30, 2026.