Lake of the Clouds
depth
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Depth scale
Survey readout
Lake of the Clouds is mapped to a depth of 10 ft on the Michigan DNR survey and covers about 140 acres in Ontonagon County, Michigan.
Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.
- Deepest mapped contour
- 10 ft
- Mean depth
- 7.3 ft · estimated
- Surface area
- 140 acres
- Estimated volume
- 1,025 acre-ft · 334M gal
- Shoreline
- 2.95 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 3% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- No public DNR launch identified
- In
- Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park · 59,585 ac
Additional depth details2 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–10 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 10 ft
49.5% of the surface sits over water shallower than 10 ft. Depth, area and volume are estimated from the interpolated survey surface — historical reference, not measurement.
Compare with another lakeProvenance
Sources: MI DNR inland lake contours, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL), MI DNR Boat Launches.
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Map details & sources5 sources
All layers registered to one bounding box; positions in WGS 84.
Survey-derived depth contours drape over USGS 3DEP elevation, with a USDA NAIP aerial basemap and OpenStreetMap shoreline. Colour shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.
- Coordinates
- 46.80476, -89.74812
- MI DNR lake ID
- L35358
- Vertical exaggeration
- 3.0×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.4 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21Lake of the Clouds has a heavily wooded and largely undeveloped setting, moderate open-water exposure, limited nearby major-road exposure. No special watercraft restriction is identified in the current source.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Excellent | 32.9 of 35 | 92% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (65% forest, 17% wetland; 0% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Good | 15.4 of 29 | mean fetch 1,272 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · moderate open-water fetch |
| Watercraft controls | None identified | 8.8 of 18 | No special watercraft restriction identified in the current DNR source. Motors permitted, subject to general law. |
| Public access | Not listed | — | No DNR-listed access site. Township, county and road-end launches are not in this source, so this is not evidence that access is poor — the component is excluded and the remaining weights are renormalized. |
| Road isolation | Very Good | 12.1 of 18 | limited nearby major-road exposure · 1 MDOT-classified segment within 1.2 km, peak 1,093 vehicles/day |
Additional paddling considerations
These describe the lake but are not part of the v1 Paddling Index and do not change the number above.
- Wake sensitivity
- Low — wide enough that wakes disperse over most of the lake
- Aquatic vegetation
- Low — approximately 3% mapped coverage · NAIP aerial imagery (NDVI)
- Observed motorized activity
- Unknown — No lake-level measurement of boat traffic is available. Legal permission to operate motors is not evidence of use.
- Wildlife habitat potential
- High — 65% forest and 17% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from angler catches1 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colours, not photographs (provenance).
Smallmouth BassFishing rules for this lake Beta
Size and daily limits for the 1 species found here — 1 with a special rule or closed season.
These are hook-and-line size, daily limit and season rules. Gear, spearing and bow fishing, spawning closures and rod limits are set by other Fisheries Orders and are not shown here.
Official rule text for this lake
“the daily possession limit for Smallmouth Bass is zero (0). Tackle: Artificial lures only. It shall be unlawful to use or possess live bait, dead bait, organic or processed food at any time on the shore or water.” — FO-206
From FO-206.26 (eff. 2026-04-01) / FO-215.23A (eff. 2023-09-15) / FO-254.25 (eff. 2025-10-10), checked against the 2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations digest · verified 2026-08-24. Regulations can change — Michigan DNR rules are the controlling source; verify current regulations before fishing. Official regulations
Notable catches
Master Angler program · 2004–2025Master Angler catches recorded on this lake — too few to show a pattern, so they are listed individually.
Non-native species records
No non-native species recorded in the available dataset. This does not confirm that no non-native species are present.
Source: Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Conservation Planner; underlying nonindigenous species records from the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database.
Public fishing access
MI DNR family-friendly fishingState-managed · Yes, Rec Passport · Bathrooms are "rustic" restrooms · Paved parking
Amenities: Camping, picnic tables, walking trails
“This is a hike-in fishing opportunity that requires a 3/4 mile hike. Light water craft can also be carried in and out.”
At the lake
community-mapped amenities · straight-line distanceLake of the Clouds — common questions
How deep is Lake of the Clouds?
The deepest contour on the Michigan DNR bathymetric survey of Lake of the Clouds is 10 ft. That is the deepest depth the historical survey map records, which may differ from the deepest point of the lake itself.
How big is Lake of the Clouds?
Lake of the Clouds covers about 140 acres in Ontonagon County, Michigan.
What is the average depth of Lake of the Clouds?
The estimated mean depth of Lake of the Clouds is 7.3 ft, calculated from the survey contours.
What fish are in Lake of the Clouds?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include smallmouth bass. The page shows the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Lake of the Clouds?
No public launch for Lake of the Clouds appears in the Michigan DNR access data. That is not the same as the lake being private -- municipal and private ramps are not in that source.
