Every Lake
South Lake
205 acres, three miles of shoreline, 41 feet at its deepest, west of Ann Arbor
- 7 ft · first step
- 14 ft
- 20 ft
- 27 ft
- 34 ft
- 41 ft · bottom
About South Lake
South Lake sits in the kettle-lake country west of Ann Arbor, Michigan, part of a landscape shaped by the retreat of glacial ice at the end of the last glaciation. Like the smaller lakes scattered through this part of southeastern Michigan, its basin was left behind as buried blocks of ice melted, leaving a depression that filled with water. The lake covers about 205 acres and reaches a maximum depth near 41 feet, modest next to the region's larger glacial lakes but deep enough to hold cold water through the summer months.
The shoreline runs roughly three miles and is lined mostly by year-round homes and seasonal cottages rather than commercial development. Without a public boat launch to draw outside traffic, the lake tends to stay in local use, favored by residents who fish and paddle from docks and small boats rather than by visitors passing through. Ann Arbor is close enough for a short drive but far enough that South Lake keeps a quieter, residential character instead of functioning as a regional destination.
- 4 roads engraved around the shore, 1 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.
South Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a South Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 7 ft, 14 ft, 20 ft, 27 ft, 34 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 41 ft. The lake covers about 0.3 square miles, and 4 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 South 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 South 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 South Lake.
South 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 South Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. South 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 41 ft
- 0.3 square miles of water
- 4 shore roads engraved, 1 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
