Every Lake
Houghton Lake
Michigan's largest inland lake, thirty miles of shoreline in Roscommon County.
- 13 ft · first step
- 25 ft
- 38 ft
- 50 ft
- 63 ft
- 76 ft · bottom
About Houghton Lake
Houghton Lake formed as a glacial lake in the wake of the last ice age, left behind as retreating ice sheets carved north-central Michigan's till plains. Its basin holds roughly 19,827 acres of surface water, making it the largest lake contained entirely within Michigan's borders, though its average depth stays shallow across most of the basin. The lake sits in Roscommon County, not far from Cadillac, ringed by the communities of Houghton Lake, Prudenville, and Houghton Lake Heights. Cabins, resorts, and year-round homes line its roughly 30 miles of shoreline.
Every January since 1951, Houghton Lake has hosted Tip-Up Town USA, an ice-fishing festival built around tip-ups set for walleye and perch through the frozen surface. The lake's shallow, sandy-bottomed basin keeps water temperatures warm in summer, drawing swimmers, pontoon boats, and water-skiers to a shoreline dotted with small marinas and bait shops. Anglers work the deeper holes for walleye, while ice shanties spread across the lake once it locks up, some years into March. The mix of full-time residents and seasonal cottage owners has stayed fairly constant for decades along its 30 miles of shore.
- 10 shore towns named, with a star on each
- 619 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.
Houghton Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Houghton Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 13 ft, 25 ft, 38 ft, 50 ft, 63 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 76 ft. The lake covers about 31.3 square miles, and 619 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 Houghton 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 Houghton 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 Houghton Lake.
Houghton 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 Houghton Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Houghton 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 76 ft
- 31.3 square miles of water
- 619 shore roads engraved, 14 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
