Lake Michigan By: Tanya Rothe

Lake Michigan is known for its many surrounding dunes and national parks in the area. People come from all over the country to take part in the many recreational activities that there are around the lake. Did you know that Lake Michigan is the 6th largest freshwater lake in the entire world? It covers about 307 miles in length. Lake Michigan is roughly 925 feet deep which is one of its many great attractions for travelers. You will find many varieties of fish to catch including steelhead, salmon, trout, bass and walleye. If you are looking for a great fishing spot to catch the Saturday night dinner, then this is the place to be.

Lake Michigan was originally formed by the separation of huge glaciers around 10,000 years ago. One of the first Europeans to explore Lake Michigan was a great explorer named Samuel de Champlain. The great lake has had a list of different names since the first discover of it many years ago. Lake Michigan is the 3rd largest of the 5 Great Lakes. It is also said that it is the only one of the Great Lakes that is completely inside the United States of America. There are lots of rivers and streams that flow into Lake Michigan. You will see the complete list of names below.

Interesting Lake Facts

• World's Largest Freshwater Dunes
• Surface Area: 22,300 square miles
• Elevation: 577 feet
• States that border the lake: Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, and Illinois
• Sand and Pebble beaches
• Contains many animal and plant species not found in other parts of the World
• Provides a variety of habitats for plant and animal life
• Has had small tidal waves in the past

WI. Rivers and Streams that Flow into Lake Michigan

• Escanaba
• Menominee
• Iron
• Peshtigo
• Oconto
• Fox
• St. Joseph
• Grand Rivers
• Wolf River
• Fond Du Lac River
• Fawn River
• Kalamazoo River
• Reeds Springs
• Muskegon River
• Red Cedar River
• Crockery Creek
• Manistee River
• Boardman River

Wisconsin Counties Bordering Lake Michigan

• Marinette
• Oconto
• Brown
• Door
• Kewaunee
• Manitowoc
• Sheboygan
• Ozaukee
• Milwaukee
• Racine
• Kenosha