Lake St. Clair, MI
Published: Monday, January 16, 2023 12:00 pm
By: Dave Lorenz, VP of Travel Michigan
Nestled between Southeast Michigan and the Canadian province of Ontario is the second-largest non-Great-Lake in the Midwest: Lake St. Clair. Measuring 26 miles long and 24 miles wide, this inland lake is often called the "sixth Great Lake" that connects Lake Huron and Lake Erie via the St. Clair River and the Detroit River systems. Lake St. Clair's 160 miles of Michigan shoreline makes cities like Detroit, Grosse Pointe, St. Claire Shores, New Baltimore, and Anchor Bay among the destinations that are buzzing with history, restaurants, beaches, and activities for all.
The "Heart of the Great Lakes"
Lake St. Clair has long been a vital passage linking the Great Lakes and supporting the Midwest trade industry. The vast body of water was given many names by local Native American tribes, like the Mississauga people, who called it Waawiyaataan(ong), meaning "at the whirlpool." However, its current title was given by French explorers Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle, and Roman Catholic Father Louis Hennepin, who arrived at its shores on the feast day of Saint Clare on August 12, 1679.
Michigan is home to the most lighthouses in the U.S., 129, with four of those situated on the shores of Lake St. Clair: Windmill Point Lighthouse in Detroit, Lake St. Clair Lighthouse off Grosse Point's shoreline, and St. Clair Flats Front and Rear Range Lights located off the southeastern tip of Harsens Island.
Boating in Cobalt Blue Waters
While cruising down M-29 and stopping in the charming beachside towns that offer great waterfront views, getting out on Lake St. Clair's cobalt blue water is a must in Pure Michigan. Water temperatures run warmer in Lake St. Clair than in neighboring bodies of water such as Lake Huron, the St. Clair River, and the Detroit River, which makes it a popular destination for fishing, water sport enthusiasts, beachgoers, and leisure sailors alike.
The lake's average depth is 10 feet, with the deepest part measuring 19 feet. The shipping channel, located from the head of the Detroit River going northeast for about 16 miles to St. Clair Cutoff Channel, is meant for freighters traversing the Great Lakes system and measures about 29 feet deep. Lake St. Clair is also home to 15 yacht clubs between the Michigan and Ontario shores, several public boat launches, and transient marinas for visitors to dock. If U.S. boaters wish to visit docks in neighboring Ontario, they can check Canada's boat and boater regulations, along with customs and border rules, before sailing across the border.
A Fishing Haven in the Great Lakes
Lake St. Clair is a bottleneck for fish as they travel from northern Lake Huron to the more shallow and warmer depths of Lake St. Clair before migrating east to Lake Erie, making it an ideal spot for fishing. The lake also serves as a vital spawning habitat for fish and migrating waterfowl, given it's the largest coastal delta feeding the Great Lakes.
The lake has six hotspots that fishers frequent and is well stocked with several different species of fish, including muskellunge, walleye, trout, salmon, northern pike, yellow perch, and bluegill. What's more, BASSMASTER consistently ranks Lake St. Clair as one of the top bass lakes in the country.
Fishermen frequent the lake for several notable species runs throughout the year, including trophy-worthy musky from June to October, smallmouth bass from late April thru mi-May, walleye in July and August, and Northern pike in the summer and fall.
Beaches and Lakeside Attractions
The lake carves out part of Michigan's coastline, dotted with quaint, coastal towns that know how to enjoy the lakefront year-round. Public beaches are plentiful along the shores, historic yacht and boat clubs offer events year-round, and unique local businesses with cozy lodgings are nestled in each town.
Some of the region's most popular beaches include Walter & Mary Burke Park in New Baltimore, Marine City Beach in Marine City, Lake St. Clair Metropark in Harrison Township, and Belle Isle Beach in a state park on the west side of the island along the Detroit River.
Lake St. Clair Metropark recently implemented accessibility improvements, including paved walkways to connect picnic areas near the West Boardwalk, picnic tables and grills added to shelters, and a recreational mat from the sand to the water on the beach to allow for greater accessibility at the beach.
Downtown New Baltimore holds the annual Bay-Rama Fishfly Festival each June. For five days, boaters are invited to drop anchor to enjoy fireworks and come ashore for live entertainment, a parade, and much more.
Lakeside Food and Fun
From downtown Detroit to surrounding suburbs and small towns sprinkling the shoreline, the Michigan coast of Lake St. Clair, Detroit River, and St. Clair River provides plenty of options for food and fun.
Detroit has a vibrant restaurant scene, the nationally-renowned Detroit International RiverWalk, the Detroit Institute of Arts, and three world-class sports complexes within a one-mile radius. This area is rich in culture and history. Visitors can see the Detroit Princess Riverboat docked near the iconic GM Renaissance Center, making up the Detroit skyline.
Heading north up the Michigan shoreline of Lake St. Clair are 30+ lakeside restaurants with pristine views of the water and docking available to boaters. Zef's Dockside Bar + Kitchen, WaterMark Bar and Grille, Island Grill, Bumpers Landing and Crews Inn, and On the Rocks Smoke House & Tiki Bar are local favorites worth a visit.
Michigan boasts impressive agricultural diversity, which lends itself to weekly farmer's markets in Grosse Pointe Park, New Baltimore, St. Clair Shores, and countless other cities in Metro Detroit. Throughout the warmer seasons, these markets bloom with fresh produce, artisanal goods, locally-made products, and a friendly sense of community.
Adventure and fun await on the sandy shores and crystal blue waters of Lake St. Clair, a destination primed to welcome visitors any time of year.
Learn more at https://www.michigan.org/property/lake-st-clair-tourism-initiative.
tags: Destination, Lake St Clair, Lake St.Clair
