Between Detroit And Lansing Is A Michigan Lake With Boating, Fishing, A Beach, And Camping

It's easy enough to access lake fun in Michigan considering that it shares over 3,000 miles of shoreline with the Great Lakes. But if you're venturing out from Detroit (or from Lansing, for that matter), Portage Lake also provides a beautiful escape not more than an hour away. It's part of a chain of lakes and has many hidden waterways. It's also a year-round destination: When it freezes over in winter, you can ice fish, snowmobile, and skate.

In the warmer months, folks travel to Portage Lake to go boating, swim at its golden sand beach, and camp along its sparkling shores. As the lake is located squarely within the Waterloo Recreation Area, camping options are plentiful. You can take your pick of primitive or modern campsites, as well as indoor lodging. If you're a bait and tackle junkie, you're in luck. Portage Lake is home to a wide variety of fish, including bluegill and northern pike. As you fish, look up to see birds of prey, such as red-tailed hawks, osprey, and turkey vultures. 

Portage Yacht Club is a good starting point if you want to explore the lake and surrounding waterways. It rents kayaks, catamarans, and pontoons as well as small dinghies. Waterfowl and songbirds flock to the lake, so as you move along, listen for the melodious trills of winter wrens or the rising, flute-like tones of a Swainson's thrush. If you go as far west as the Portage River, you may be able to catch a glimpse of some charming wildlife, such as muskrats and beavers.

Waterloo Recreation Area has several campgrounds. One option at Portage Lake is Waterloo Portage Modern Campground, which sits on the lake and spans wide-open lawns interspersed with towering trees. Each site has a sanitation station and either a 30 or 50 amp service. For a more rustic stay, call the park to reserve the Waterloo Group Use Campground. It offers sites suitable for up to 150 campers, picnic tables, and fire pits. (As a note for long-term campers, you can take showers at Portage Lake Modern Campground for a fee.)

The Department of Natural Resources says Portage Lake is home to largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike, crappie, sunfish, and walleye. You can use the Hunt Fish App to access a fishing license as well as other helpful information such as where to find boat launches, weather forecasts, and up-to-date regulations. If you're driving from Lansing, stop by Mike and Tina's Party Store, about 20 minutes west from the lake. It sells a variety of bait and tackle, including rods, wax worms, and minnows.

The nearest town to the lake is Pinckney, about 10 minutes up the road. If you want to grab food supplies before heading to the lake, Busch's Fresh Food Market is a good option. It stocks local food and beverages, including artisan bread from its bakery.

Another nice lake in the area is Pinckney Recreation Area, a lakeside escape with camping and hiking. The 11,000-acre park has a wealth of camping options which include a camper cabin, hike-in sites, and an ADA-accessible yurt. As a note, you'll need a Michigan Recreation Passport to launch your boat in state parks in Michigan. If you're from out of state, you can buy either an annual or daily pass.

Besides Portage Lake, there are 10 other inland lakes in the Waterloo Recreation Area, including Base Line Lake, which connects to the Huron River. Take a 2-hour drive west and you can visit Dumont Lake, another lake away from the busier Great Lake waterfronts. Dumont Lake is an underrated lake with a beach park, camping, and fishing. For an additional locale to explore nature, consider visiting Ann Arbor, a walkable Michigan hub with riverfront trails. It's nicknamed the Tree Town for its abundance of green spaces. The town is also home to trails, beaches, and boardwalk paths.