Elk Lake (Michigan)

Elk Lake
Elk Lake Location within the state of Michigan Show map of Michigan Elk Lake Elk Lake (the United States) Show map of the United States
Location	Antrim / Grand Traverse counties, Michigan, US
Coordinates	44°51′N 85°23′W / 44.850°N 85.383°W / 44.850; -85.383
Type	lake
Primary inflows	Lake Skegemog
Primary outflows	Elk River
Basin countries	United States
Surface area	7,730 acres (3,130 ha)[1]
Max. depth	192 ft (59 m)[1]
Surface elevation	587 feet (179 m)[1]
Settlements	Elk Rapids

Elk Lake is located in Antrim and Grand Traverse counties in Northern Michigan. The lake is about a mile and a half wide (2.4 km) and nine miles (14 km) long, and is centered at 44°51′N 85°23′W / 44.850°N 85.383°W / 44.850; -85.383 near the town of Elk Rapids. It has maximum depth of 192 ft (59 m), making it Michigan's second deepest after Torch Lake. It is a popular lake for fishing, featuring lake trout, rock bass, yellow perch, smallmouth bass, muskellunge, ciscoes, brown trout, rainbow trout, and whitefish.

Elk Lake lies to the west of the larger Torch Lake, which lies just to the east. It is part of a watershed that begins in northern Antrim County with Intermediate Lake, which is connected by the Intermediate River with Lake Bellaire. The Grass River flows from Lake Bellaire into Clam Lake, which in turn drains into Torch Lake via the short Clam River. Torch Lake is drained by the Torch River, which flows into Lake Skegemog, which opens into Elk Lake. Elk Lake flows through Elk River into the east arm of Grand Traverse Bay at Elk Rapids. This watershed is popularly known as the Chain of Lakes.