Mud Lake

Montcalm County, Michigan · MI DNR bathymetric survey

— Max
depth

136 acres 0 contours Public access 23% weedy

Paddling Index65Mixedsheltered geometry · carry-in access

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Depth scale

The lake

Survey readout

Mud Lake covers about 136 acres in Montcalm County, Michigan. The Michigan DNR survey for this lake records a shoreline outline only, with no usable depth soundings, so a maximum depth cannot be stated.

Measured from the Michigan DNR inland-lake contour survey.

Bathymetric depth unavailable. The source survey does not contain sufficient usable depth information to calculate lake depth for Mud Lake — the Michigan DNR record carries a shoreline outline without depth soundings. Surface area, location, access and fishery information below are unaffected.

Depth: Bathymetric depth unavailable
Surface area: 136 acres
Shoreline: 3.33 mi · irregular
Aquatic vegetation: 23% of surface · NDVI estimate
Public access: Boat Launch

Additional depth details

Contour depths: shoreline only
Recorded point soundings: No point soundings recorded in source

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Location

Montcalm County, Michigan · 15 nearest of 26 lakes · tap a dot for that lake

Chart data

Provenance

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: 43.27249, -84.91597
MI DNR lake ID: L9812
Vertical exaggeration: 3.0×
Basemap: USDA NAIP · public domain
Model size: 2.1 MB

Paddling

Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-08-21

65 / 100MixedData confidence: High

Mud Lake has a partly natural setting, generally sheltered geometry, some nearby classified roads. 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	Good	17.1 of 30	63% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (16% forest, 46% wetland; 22% developed)
Geometric wind exposure	Very Good	17.8 of 25	mean fetch 806 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch
Watercraft controls	None identified	7.5 of 15	No special watercraft restriction identified in the current DNR source. Motors permitted, subject to general law.
Public access	Excellent	15.0 of 15	2 sites with DNR boating-facility records · carry-in launch · 3 ramp lanes · 50 trailer spaces
Road isolation	Good	7.5 of 15	some nearby classified roads · 32 MDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 1,909 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: Moderate — approximately 23% 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 — 16% forest and 46% wetland cover within 150 m of shore

Compare Michigan lakes by Paddling Index →

How this index is calculated. The Paddling Index is a relative composite derived from lake geometry and public environmental, access, roadway and watercraft-control data. It is not a user review, a safety rating, or a prediction of an individual outing. Differences of a few points should not be treated as meaningful — an 84 and an 82 are broadly comparable. Components and weights: natural setting 30%, geometric wind exposure 25%, watercraft controls 15%, public access 15%, road isolation 15%; observed motorboat activity is weighted 0% because no defensible lake-level measurement exists. Where a component has no data the remaining weights are renormalized and the confidence rating is lowered; below Medium confidence no number is shown. Sources: MI DNR Boating Access Sites (2026-08), MI DNR Watercraft Control Areas (2026-08), USGS/MRLC NLCD Land Cover (2021), MDOT Annual Average Daily Traffic (2025) and MI DNR bathymetric survey outline (0 ft isobath). Conditions change quickly — check current weather and local conditions before going out.

Non-native species records

1 record

Plants & algae

Holly-leaf Waternymph

What does non-native mean?

USGS records identify non-native species that have been documented for this lake or its shoreline. Non-native does not necessarily mean invasive, and historical records do not confirm current presence.

Source: Midwest Glacial Lakes Partnership Conservation Planner; underlying nonindigenous species records from the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database.

At the lake

community-mapped amenities · straight-line distance

🚿 Restrooms / vault toilet≈0.2 mi · 2 mapped

🎢 Playground≈0.5 mi

From OpenStreetMap community mapping — shown only where something is mapped; an amenity missing here may still exist. Distances are straight-line. Verify before you rely on it. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).

Bait & tackle nearby

licensed retail bait dealers · straight-line distance

M-57 Surplus≈7 mi10425 E Carson City Rd, Carson City · Google · Apple

Twin Ponds Sports Shop Inc≈8 mi6050 S State Rd, Stanton · Google · Apple

M-46 Bait & Tackle≈9.8 mi11220 Howard City Edmore Rd, Riverdale · Google · Apple

Dealers licensed by the Michigan DNR to sell live bait; listing is not an endorsement. Distances are straight-line, not driving — and call ahead: hours and stock change. Source: Michigan DNR retail bait dealer data.

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