High Island (Michigan)

High Island
USGS Topographic Map sheet 1:24,000
High Island is located in Michigan
High Island
High Island
Geography
LocationLake Michigan
Coordinates45°43′30″N 85°41′00″W / 45.72500°N 85.68333°W / 45.72500; -85.68333
Area5.46 sq mi (14.1 km2)
Highest elevation780 ft (238 m)
Administration
StateMichigan
CountyCharlevoix County
TownshipSt. James Township
Demographics
PopulationUninhabited

High Island is an island in Lake Michigan and is part of the Beaver Island archipelago. It is 3,495 acres (14.14 km2) in size. The island is owned by the U.S. state of Michigan and is managed by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources as part of the Beaver Islands State Wildlife Research Area.

High Island got its name from a large, perched sand dune on the western side of the island. The sand, blown by the lake's prevailing winds, has piled up into a sand dune elevated 780 feet (238 m) above sea level, or 199 feet (61 m) above the level of Lake Michigan.

The island is currently uninhabited. It lies approximately four miles (6 km) west of the much larger Beaver Island, and less than two miles from Trout Island.