A Guide to the Rivers and Lakes of Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties, Michigan

Book excerpt: The northwestern lower Michigan counties of Grand Traverse and Leelanau have an abundance of inland lakes: 146 named lakes, and many, smaller unnamed lakes. (Add the neighboring Benzie County, and there are well over 214 lakes in the three northwestern counties.) The size of the lakes range from 2 to nearly 8,000 acres. Seven of them are in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (all in Leelanau County). There are also five rivers: the Betsie and Boardman Rivers in Grand Traverse County, and the Cedar, Crystal and Leland Rivers in Leelanau County. This handy book provides the essential details for all 65 (with the SECOND edition) of the publicly and easily accessible inland lakes in Grand Traverse (41) and Leelanau (24) Counties, the in-county pieces of the five rivers in these two counties, and ALL of the access points for those rivers and lakes. This guide is for anyone accessing these rivers and lakes, especially boaters - anglers, canoeists, kayakers, other paddlers, and any recreational watercraft users. Some of the details offered include: For each river - location, description, length, paddle time, depth, width, difficulty, Google Maps URL, and more. For each river section - length, paddle time, other details about that section, Google Maps URL, and shuttle roads. For each lake - general location, general description, lake area, shoreline length, depth, inlets and outlets, DNR map URL (for some), Google Maps URL for the lake area, peninsulas, islands, and general surroundings. Complete access details for ALL boat launches and access sites for the rivers and lakes, including: type of access site and what 's offered at each, GPS coordinates, a Google Maps URL, and detailed road directions. Also included are maps of the two counties showing the general location of all covered lakes and rivers and the major roads around them. This book covers Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties. It's intended as a complement to the A Guide to Benzie County Michigan Rivers, Lakes, and Creeks book, which covers 34 of that county's 58 inland lakes, 2 of its 4 rivers, and 5 of its many creeks - all the navigable and publicly accessible inland water in Benzie County. Whatever kind of boating you do, you'll find this guide invaluable. Keep a copy in your boat, vehicle, or cottage for easy reference!