About Torch Lake

Michigan's Own Piece of the Caribbean

A glacial-carved jewel located in the northwest corner of Michigan's lower peninsula, Torch Lake is situated between Charlevoix and Traverse City in Antrim County. This region of the is known as the Chain of Lakes, derived from the 14 lakes and connecting rivers that flow through the county.

Torch Lake is 19 miles long, 2 miles wide, and has 41 miles of shoreline. The name of the lake is not due to its shape, rather, is derived from translation from the Ojibwa name Was-wa-gon-ong meaning "Place of the Torches". This refers back to the practice of the local Native American population who once used torches at night to attract fish for harvesting with spears and nets.

The lake's average depth is 140 feet and its maximum depth is 302 feet, making it Michigan's deepest inland lake. The lake is so deep, that it stays very cold late into the summer months and often does not freeze over in the winter.

Torch Lake's clear blue-green waters are often compared to those of the Caribbean. Nearly the entire lake is ringed by a shallow, sandy band, or sandbar, that gives way to a steep drop-off; partly what gives the lake its jaw-dropping contrasting shades.

A Slice of Paradise in Your Own Backyard

Thanks to Torch Lake's jewel hued waters, it has become a popular spot for the development of resorts and gorgeous homes along the 41 miles of shoreline. Several celebrities have recently discovered this hidden gem and purchased vacation homes on the lake.

Several townships and villages dot the shore of Torch Lake including Alden, Eastport, Clam River, Central Lake Township, Helena, Clearwater and Torch Lake Township. The town of Alden is home to the Alden Depot Park and Museum, which is a restored train depot dating from 1908 that features exhibits on local history.

The town of Bellaire, located about 4 miles from the lake's eastern shore, has a historical museum that documents life in the area from the Civil War through the 1960s. Bellaire also features the Antrim County Courthouse located in a historic building originally built in 1905. The prime place to stay in this quaint town is The Grand Victorian Bed and Breakfast Inn which was built in the 1890s. In 1978 it was placed on the U.S. Department of the Interior's National Registry of Historic Places and in 1989 it was opened to the public as the bed-and-breakfast it remains to this day.

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