Houghton Lake (Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Houghton Lake |
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 Houghton Lake
Location in Michigan
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| Location | Roscommon County, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 44°20′20″N 84°43′30″W / 44.33889°N 84.72500°W |
| Type | mesotrophic |
| Primary inflows | Cut River |
| Primary outflows | Muskegon River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 10.0 mi (16.1 km) |
| Max. width | 5.5 mi (8.9 km) |
| Surface area | 20,044 acres (8,112 ha) |
| Average depth | 7.5 ft (2.3 m) |
| Max. depth | 22 ft (6.7 m) |
| Residence time | 1.2 years |
| Shore length1 | c. 30 miles (48 km) |
| Surface elevation | 1,138 feet (347 m) |
| Settlements | Prudenville, Houghton Lake, Houghton Lake Heights |
| 1 Shore length is not a well-defined measure. | |
Houghton Lake is a large lake located in Roscommon County, Michigan. It is the biggest inland lake in Michigan. It is also one of the largest natural inland lakes in the entire United States.
The lake is about 10 miles (16 km) long from north to south. At its widest point, it stretches about 5.5 miles (8.9 km) across. Houghton Lake has roughly 30 miles (48 km) of shoreline. Its waters cover a huge area of 20,044 acres (81.11 km²).
Several small towns are located around the lake. These include Prudenville on the southeast side. Houghton Lake and Houghton Lake Heights are found on the southwest and west shores.
The lake is a very popular spot for vacations and fishing all year round. It is also famous for a big winter festival called Tip-Up-Town USA. This event includes ice fishing and other fun winter sports on the frozen lake.
Houghton Lake was named after Douglass Houghton. He was the first state geologist for Michigan. He explored this area a long time ago. People in Michigan usually say the lake's name as "HOTE'n".
Contents
Water Flow and Surroundings
Houghton Lake gets its water from Higgins Lake. The water flows into Houghton Lake through the Cut River. Then, Houghton Lake becomes the starting point for the Muskegon River. The Muskegon River flows out from the northwest part of the lake.
The lake is partly located within four different townships. These are Markey Township to the northeast. Denton Township is to the southeast. Roscommon Township is to the southwest. Finally, Lake Township is to the northwest.
Lake Depth and Type
Houghton Lake is known as a "mesotrophic" lake. This means it has a medium level of nutrients. It is also considered a warm and shallow lake. The average depth is about 7.5 feet (2.3 meters).
The deepest part of the lake is a small spot in East Bay. It goes down to about 22 feet (6.7 meters). However, it is rare to find depths greater than 17 feet (5.2 meters) in most of the lake.
Fish and Wildlife
Houghton Lake is home to many different kinds of fish. Almost every type of game fish and panfish found in Michigan lives here. The only exceptions are trout, salmon, sturgeon, muskellunge, and white bass.
Some of the common fish you can catch include:
Getting to Houghton Lake
Several major roads are close to Houghton Lake. M-55 runs along the southern shore of the lake. U.S. Highway 127 passes just to the west. M-18 and Interstate 75 are located just to the east of the lake. These roads make it easy for people to visit Houghton Lake.
Tip-Up-Town USA Festival
Houghton Lake is famous for its yearly winter carnival, Tip-Up-Town USA. This exciting event happens over two weekends in January. The name of the festival comes from "tip-ups". These are special flag-like devices used for ice fishing. When a fish bites, the flag "tips up". The "USA" part was added later to the festival's name.
To enter the Tip-Up-Town site, which is on the south shore of Houghton Lake, you need to buy special badges. These badges are sold every year at local stores. The festival is a big draw for visitors during the cold winter months.
