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Trail
Fred Meijer White Pine Trail
A 92-mile paved rail trail whose northern end is in Cadillac, for long rides south through towns, farmland and woods toward Grand Rapids.
About 10 miles away (straight line)
Lake · Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Lake Missaukee
Lake City's all-sports town lake: 1,880 acres and mostly under 15 feet deep, with a public beach, a city launch, and walleye, perch and pike through the ice.
Photo: Notorious4life, Wikimedia Commons (CC0 1.0)
Lake Missaukee is a simple town lake for a beach day, a paddle or a few hours of fishing. It is all-sports under state law, so ski and tube if you like, and it is shallow: about 1,880 acres, 27 feet at the deepest and mostly under 15 feet. Lake City sits right beside it and keeps the access easy, and in winter ice anglers go after walleye, pike and perch.
Start at the public beach, which has a boardwalk. The city also has a municipal dock and a launch for boats and kayaks, and its downtown park and road-end parks are other places to swim.
Anglers have a long list to work with: walleye, northern pike, largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, sunfish and yellow perch are all on the DNR’s list of better fishing waters for the lake.
The lake is in Missaukee County, in the interior of the northern Lower Peninsula east of Cadillac. Come back in winter for sledding, skiing and snowboarding at Lake City’s Missaukee Mountain.
On the water
Motorboats and rules
Missaukee County has no special local watercraft controls, so standard Michigan boating law applies.
Swimming
Lake City has a public beach with a boardwalk, and the downtown park and several road-end parks are other places to swim.
Public access
Lake City gives you several ways onto the lake: a public beach with a boardwalk, a municipal dock and a kayak and boat launch. Its downtown park and several road-end parks are other places to swim.
Paddling
Launch a kayak at the city's boat and kayak launch in Lake City, next to the municipal dock.
Fishing
Lake Missaukee is on the Michigan DNR's list of better fishing waters for bluegill, crappie, largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, sunfish, walleye and yellow perch. Check current Michigan DNR rules before fishing.
Fish species
Species include bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, sunfish, walleye, and yellow perch.
In winter
Lake Missaukee is ice-fished most winters. DNR reports have anglers on tip-ups for walleye and pike and catching perch, crappie and other panfish. Early in the season not all of the ice is safe, so check before you go out.
Public boat launches
Lake City boat and kayak launch
The city has a boat and kayak launch and a municipal dock on the lake.
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
Winter
In winter, head to Lake City's Missaukee Mountain for sledding, skiing and snowboarding.
Location
Map of Lake Missaukee
1 place on an OpenStreetMap map
Places to stay near Lake Missaukee
Lakefront cottages and homes are listed by the local rental managers and booking sites below.
Hotels and inns
Budget
Hampton Inn & Suites CadillacAAA Three Diamond · Featured by the Cadillac Area Visitors Bureau
Search all hotels in Cadillac: 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.
Nearby attractions
Straight-line distances from the map point.
State park
William Mitchell State Park
Cadillac's state park between Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac, with a campground, the Clam Lake Canal and the start of the White Pine Trail.
About 10 miles away (straight line)
More lakes and rivers nearby
Lake · Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Lake Cadillac
Cadillac's in-town, all-sports lake: 1,150 acres and 28 feet deep, a canal to Lake Mitchell, a 7.5-mile path and winter ice fishing for perch and walleye.
- All-sports
- Swim beach
- Public launch
- Rentals
Lake · Grand Traverse & Inland Lakes
Lake Mitchell
A broad, shallow, all-sports lake west of Cadillac: 2,496 acres, a state park beach and campground, a canal to paddle and crappie and bluegill through the ice.
- All-sports
- Swim beach
- Public launch
- Rentals