Grand Traverse Bay

Grand Traverse Bay
East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay
East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay looking west from Elk Rapids toward Old Mission Peninsula
Grand Traverse Bay is located in Michigan
Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay
Location within the state of Michigan
LocationAntrim, Charlevoix, Grand Traverse, and Leelanau counties, Michigan, U.S.
Coordinates45°04′N 85°29′W / 45.06°N 85.48°W / 45.06; -85.48
TypeBay[1]
Part ofLake Michigan
Primary inflowsBoardman River, Elk River
Surface elevation581 feet (177 m)[1]
IslandsBellow Island, Power Island
SettlementsElk Rapids, Suttons Bay, Traverse City

Grand Traverse Bay (/ˈtrævərs/ TRAV-ərss) is an arm of Lake Michigan, located along the west coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The bay is separated from the rest of Lake Michigan by the Leelanau Peninsula. The bay is some 32 miles (51 km) long, ranges from 7 to 10 miles (11 to 16 km) wide, and up to 620 feet (190 m) deep in spots. It is the second-largest bay of Lake Michigan, behind Green Bay.

Grand Traverse Bay is further divided into an East Arm and West Arm by the 18-mile-long (29 km) Old Mission Peninsula.[2] At the head of both arms of the bay is Traverse City, the largest city in Northern Michigan. The area surrounding the bay is renowned for its fruit production, especially for cherries and viticulture.[3]

The bay is located within parts of the Michigan counties of Antrim, Charlevoix, Grand Traverse, and Leelanau.

Close-up satellite view of the Grand Traverse Bay, oriented with north at the top. Note the East and West arms of the bay, divided by the Old Mission Peninsula.
The Grand Traverse Lighthouse at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula, which anchors the bay to the west.
Power Island is the largest island in the bay, seen here from Chateau Chantal on the Old Mission Peninsula
  1. ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Grand Traverse Bay
  2. ^ "Things to Do on Old Mission Peninsula: The Ultimate Pure Michigan Guide". Pure Michigan | Official Travel & Tourism Website for Michigan. September 27, 2018. Retrieved July 9, 2024.
  3. ^ "Fruit". project.geo.msu.edu. Retrieved September 9, 2023.