Hotel · Budget
Motel Bear Lake
On West Street in the village of Bear Lake, across from the Bear Lake beach
A small, renovated retro-modern motel in the village of Bear Lake, across the road from the beach on Bear Lake.
Lake · Ludington & Manistee
Bear Lake
An all-sports lake at the village of Bear Lake: ski, tube and wakeboard, fish for walleye and bluegill, swim and camp at Hopkins Park, ice fish in winter.
Bear Lake is an all-sports lake with no local speed or horsepower limits: ski, tube, wakeboard and cruise. It covers about 1,744 acres but stays shallow, around 23 feet at its deepest, with about two-thirds of it under 20 feet.
Swim and camp at Hopkins Park, the village’s campground on the shore, which has a swim area (no lifeguard), a boat launch, a dock and a fishing pier. The two-lane DNR ramp on the west shore handles all trailerable boats, and Bear Lake Marine in the village has rented pontoons and speed boats.
Expect company: boats and personal watercraft in summer, anglers all year, and plenty of ice anglers in winter.
The village of Bear Lake sits on the south shore, and most of the rest of the shoreline is lined with homes and cottages. It is a natural lake in western Manistee County, formed during the last glacial period. Its outlet, Little Bear Creek, leaves from the east shore and is a designated trout stream.
Come for the walleye. They have been part of the fishery for more than a century. The 1999 DNR survey found a healthy, partly self-sustaining walleye population and good numbers of bluegill. The most recent published DNR status report, from 2000, called it a popular recreational lake in both summer and winter.
Much of the lake is shallow: about two-thirds of it is under 20 feet deep. The recorded size depends on the survey. Older DNR records put it at about 1,744 acres and up to 23 feet deep, while a 1994 water quality study measured about 1,843 acres and up to 24 feet.
On the water
Swimming
Hopkins Park, the village park and campground on the lake, has a swim area. No lifeguard is on duty.
Public access
The Village of Bear Lake's Hopkins Park campground has a dock and boat launch, a fishing pier and a swim area with no lifeguard. A 2000 DNR fisheries report also described a DNR-owned launch on the west shore just south of Big Bay and a village-owned launch on the southeast shore.
Boating
Expect company on summer days. As of the DNR's 2000 fisheries report, Bear Lake was a popular recreational lake in summer and winter, with a good deal of pleasure boating and personal watercraft traffic alongside the anglers.
Fishing
A 1999 DNR survey found bluegill, yellow perch, rock bass, largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, black crappie and pumpkinseed, among other species. The DNR has stocked walleye here. Check current Michigan DNR rules before fishing.
Fish species
Species include bluegill, yellow perch, rock bass, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleye, black crappie, and pumpkinseed.
Public boat launches
Bear Lake boating access site
Two-lane hard-surface ramp that handles all trailerable boats, with a courtesy pier and parking for about 15 trailers. Vehicles need a Recreation Passport at state boating access sites.
Hopkins Park launch
Village of Bear Lake hard-surface ramp with a dock and parking for about 8 trailers.
Marinas
Bear Lake Marine
Marina on Hopkins Drive in the village. It has listed pontoon and speed boat rentals and hydro bikes; check current offerings before you go.
Fishing, launching at a state site or parking at a state park? See licenses and passes for what you need before you go.
Anything not listed here is unverified. Do not assume public access across private shoreline. Check the Michigan DNR boating access listings and the current fishing regulations.
Through the seasons
Location
Map of Bear Lake
2 places on an OpenStreetMap map
Places to stay near Bear Lake
Lakefront cottages and homes are listed by the local rental managers and booking sites below.
Hotels and inns
Budget
Motel Bear LakeListed by Pure Michigan, the state travel bureau
Search all hotels in Bear Lake: Booking.com · Expedia · Hotels.com · Google Hotels
We don’t take bookings or earn anything from these links. Rates, availability and any booking problems are handled by the booking site.
More places to stay in Bear Lake
- Onekama Portage Lake Association places to stay · A community guide to motels, resorts, cottages and vacation rentals around Portage Lake, with nearby options in Arcadia and Bear Lake.
Vacation rentals
- Boardwalk Vacation Rentals · manisteevacations.com
A Manistee-based short-term rental manager with beach homes, condos and cottages around Manistee, Onekama, Bear Lake and Arcadia.
- Visit Up North Vacation Rentals · visitupnorth.com
A Traverse City rental company with homes, cottages and condos across Leelanau, Glen Arbor, the Benzie area and nearby Arcadia and Bear Lake.
Nearby towns
Ludington & Manistee · Small town
Bear Lake
For campers and anglers who want a simple lake base: a quiet Manistee County village with a campground right on Bear Lake and ice fishing in winter.
About 1 miles away (straight line)
Nearby attractions
Straight-line distances from the map point.
Beach
Hopkins Park
The Village of Bear Lake's park and campground on Bear Lake, the inland lake, with a swim area (no lifeguard), playground, launch and fishing pier.
Under a mile away (straight line)
Beach
Pierport Beach
A rustic public Lake Michigan beach at the end of 13 Mile Road in Pierport, near Bear Lake. Limited parking, few amenities, an artesian well nearby.
About 4 miles away (straight line)
Beach
Arcadia Beach Natural Area
Arcadia's public Lake Michigan beach at the west end of Lake Street, with parking, restrooms, picnic tables and a playground. An easy family beach day.
About 6 miles away (straight line)
More lakes and rivers nearby
Lake · Ludington & Manistee
Arcadia Lake
A small harbor lake at Arcadia with a township marina, a kayak put-in and a channel to Lake Michigan. Ski and tube outside the no-wake north end.
- All-sports
- Public launch
Lake · Ludington & Manistee
Chief Lake
A 126-acre inland lake west of Chief in Manistee County, with no local boating limits listed. Official information is limited, so check before you go.
- All-sports
Lake · Ludington & Manistee
Portage Lake
An all-sports lake at Onekama with marinas and a channel to Lake Michigan. Swim at the village park, fish for perch and bass, ice fish in winter.
- All-sports
- Swim beach
- Public launch