Our First Look at Lake Michigan

Our First Look at Lake Michigan

Short Description:
From atop the hill, we caught our very first glimpse of Lake Michigan—a shimmering stretch of blue unfolding toward the horizon. After miles of travel, the view felt like a gift, calm and inviting compared to the wild reputation of its northern sister, Lake Superior.

How much smaller is Lake Michigan than Lake Superior?
Lake Michigan is much smaller.

• Lake Superior: ~31,700 square miles
• Lake Michigan: ~22,400 square miles
  Lake Michigan is roughly 30% smaller in surface area, and Lake Superior is also deeper and holds nearly three times as much water.

Do the waves get as bad as Lake Superior?
Lake Michigan can get very rough, especially during storms, but Lake Superior is known for the worst waves on the Great Lakes. Superior’s deeper, colder water and longer fetch allow massive waves—over 20+ feet in extreme conditions.
Lake Michigan’s waves can still reach 10 to 15 feet, sometimes more during powerful storms, but they generally don’t reach the intensity or frequency of Superior’s largest waves.

When we left we drove done some backroads doing a little sight seeing and found acres of apples orchards. I have never seen apple trees shaped like this, they sure do produce plenty of apples.

Our First Look at Lake Michigan