Every Lake
Elk Lake
Drains through Elk Rapids into Grand Traverse Bay, 36 miles of shoreline north of Traverse City.
- 8 ft · first step
- 16 ft
- 25 ft
- 33 ft
- 41 ft
- 49 ft · bottom
About Elk Lake
Elk Lake formed at the end of the last glacial retreat, part of the chain of lakes that drains northern Antrim and Grand Traverse counties. Water flows south into Elk Lake from Torch Lake by way of the Clam River, then exits north through the Elk River at Elk Rapids into Grand Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan. The lake sits about ten miles from Traverse City, spread across roughly 10,700 acres with a shoreline of about 36 miles.
The lake's outlet village, Elk Rapids, sits where the Elk River meets Grand Traverse Bay, and lake traffic can travel the full chain by water from Bellaire down through Intermediate Lake, Torch Lake, and Elk Lake to the bay. Summer cottages line stretches of the eastern and western shore near Williamsburg and Kewadin, and the lake carries sailboat and cabin cruiser traffic typical of the Elk River Chain of Lakes. Cherry orchards cover much of the surrounding upland, a legacy of the region's fruit-belt agriculture.
- 12 shore towns named, with a star on each
- 414 roads engraved around the shore, 14 of them labeled
- 6 depth layers, each step engraved with its depth in feet
- Compass rose, title block with coordinates, max depth and area; keyhole hanger on the back
Turn it in your hands
Live 3D of the actual cut files — drag to orbit, pinch to zoom. Every road you see is engraved on the real thing.
Viewer not showing? Open it full screen.
Elk Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Elk Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 8 ft, 16 ft, 25 ft, 33 ft, 41 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 49 ft. The lake covers about 17.0 square miles, and 414 shore roads are engraved around it. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Elk Lake map for the wall — or a gift
Most of these go to a cabin wall, a lake house entry, or a home office; a lot are gifts — the family that has been on Elk Lake for three generations, the retirement move, the first boat. The 12-inch is the desk-and-shelf size; the 24- and 30-inch boards read across a room. Add a line under the title and star your place on the shore, and it becomes the map of your Elk Lake.
Elk Lake map — the details
How big is the map?
Four sizes: 12, 17, 24 and 30 inches on the long side, from $149. Every size is cut from the same depth data of Elk Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Elk Lake is cut layer by layer from published bathymetric soundings — each layer of birch is a depth contour, so the shape of the bottom is the real one, not decorative.
Can I add my own place on it?
Yes. At checkout you can add a line under the title (a family name, a cabin name, a year) and star the spot on the shore that matters to you.
How long does it take?
Made to order in Waterford, Pennsylvania and shipped in 7–10 days; shipping is free in the lower 48.
Can you make a lake that isn't listed?
Any lake in the United States — we hold depth data for 104,419 of them. Search for yours; if it isn't built yet we build it when you order.
- 6 depth layers down to 49 ft
- 17.0 square miles of water
- 414 shore roads engraved, 14 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
