Sizes, origin of names, more
Video of a shipwreck on Lake Superior: Nucleus found after 150 years
The sailors survived, but the Nucleus sank and slipped, unnoticed, into the icy waters of Lake Superior.
Provided by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society
Michigan is undoubtedly surrounded by the most beautiful lakes and has shorelines along four of the five Great Lakes.
You can fish, boat, swim, and enjoy water sports on the Great Lakes while enjoying the spectacular views they offer.
And we all remember that from our childhood it can be remembered by the acronym HOMES (Huron-Ontario-Michigan-Erie-Superior).
But here are some facts about our Great Lakes that you may not know.
These Great Lakes:
- make up 94,250 square miles of water surface.
- make up 84% of the freshwater on the surface of North America.
- account for 21% of the world’s freshwater reserves.
Related: The 10 best beaches in Michigan, named by USA TODAY readers
Which of the Great Lakes is the largest?
As the name indicates, Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes. It is also the largest lake in the USA and the second largest lake in the world.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Great Lakes in the USA and Canada cover a total water surface area of 94,250 square miles and contain 84% of North America’s surface freshwater supply.
And if you’re curious how deep the Great Lakes are, we have answers to that too.
Here is the size of each Great Lake, from largest to smallest:
Lake Superior
- Size: 31,700 square miles
- Coastline: 2,726 miles including islands
- Named after: The French call it le la superior, which means “upper lake”.
Because of its size, it could contain all of the other Great Lakes plus three other lakes the size of Lake Erie.
Lake Superior was just voted #3 among the best lakes in USA TODAY’s 2024 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
“At a staggering 31,700 square miles, Lake Superior has the largest surface area of any freshwater lake on planet Earth,” said 10Best. “This vast body of water is home to a huge variety of native marine life, including lake sturgeon, bass and walleye, while human settlements in the region stretch from Canada’s Thunder Bay to the picturesque town of Marquette on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.”
Lake Superior was also voted #5 as a lake for swimming in USA TODAY’s 2024 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
“With 30,000 square miles of lake to explore, the massive Lake Superior boasts over 10 swimming spots stretching along the Canadian and American coasts,” says 10Best. “Although all tend to be on the colder side, destinations like Agate Beach, Wisconsin Point and Wild Goose Beach all offer a welcome respite from the summer heat.”
Related: Ship that launched into Lake Superior reaches destination
Lake Huron
- Size: 23,000 square miles
- Coastline: 3,827 miles including islands
- Named after: Nearby Indian tribe. On a map from 1656 it is called Karegnondi.
Lake Huron is the second largest lake in the Great Lakes by area and the fifth largest freshwater lake in the world. Manatoulin Island in Lake Huron is the largest freshwater island in the world. Georgian Bay in Lake Huron itself is large enough to be among the 20 largest lakes in the world.
However, hydrologists consider Lake Michigan and Lake Huron to be inseparable because they are connected by the Strait of Mackinac.
Lake Michigan
- Size: 22,300 square miles
- Coastline: 1,638 miles including islands
- Named after: It was originally called Grand Lac, Lac des Puants (Lake of the Stinky People after the nearby Indian tribes), Lac des Illinois (after the nearby Indian tribe), Lac St. Joseph and Lac Dauphin.
Lake Michigan is the third-largest of the Great Lakes by area and the sixth-largest freshwater lake in the world. It is the only Great Lake that lies entirely within the United States.
The northern part of the lake lies in the colder, less developed region of the Upper Great Lakes, while its more temperate southern basin includes the Milwaukee and Chicago metropolitan areas. Its drainage basin, about twice the size of its 22,300 square miles of surface water, includes parts of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin.
Lake Michigan was just voted #4 among the best lakes in USA TODAY’s 2024 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
“Located along the borders of Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan, Lake Michigan is the largest lake on Earth located entirely within a single country,” says 10Best. “In addition to beautiful natural sites like Indiana Dunes National Park and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Lake Michigan’s shoreline is lined with dazzling cities like Green Bay, Milwaukee and Chicago, offering visitors the opportunity to combine outdoor adventure with urban exploration during their travels.”
Lake Michigan also ranked 6th as a lake for swimming in USA TODAY’s 2024 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
“It’s always a little chilly, even in the height of summer, but for those who can brave the low temperatures, Lake Michigan is perfect for a refreshing dip,” said 10Best. “For Chicago visitors, North Avenue Beach is a particularly popular swimming spot, while destinations outside the city range from Indiana Dunes National Park to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Michigan.”
Lake Erie
- Size: 9,910 square miles
- Coastline: 871 miles including islands
- Named after: Nearby Indian tribe
Lake Erie is the 11th largest lake in the world and the fourth largest of the Great Lakes by surface area, but the smallest by volume. About 95 percent of its inflow comes via the Detroit River from the upper lakes. It is the warmest and most biologically productive of the Great Lakes.
Interestingly, Lake Erie was just named the No. 1 best lake in USA TODAY’s 2024 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. “It may be the shallowest of North America’s Great Lakes, but it has huge potential when it comes to both tourism and outdoor adventure,” 10Best said. “Buffalo, Cleveland and Toledo are just a few of the history-rich cities to explore along the Erie shore, while recreational opportunities range from fishing to birdwatching to wreck diving.”
Lake Erie also ranked 3rd as a lake for swimming in USA TODAY’s 2024 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.
“The sprawling Lake Erie has hundreds of miles of shoreline between Canada and the United States to explore and is full of sandy beaches to swim at,” says 10Best. “Headlands Beach State Park is a popular swimming destination for Ohioans, while Pennsylvanians can take a dip (at least in the warmer months) at scenic Presque Isle State Park.”
Lake Ontario
- Size: 7,340 square miles
- Coastline: 712 miles including islands
- Named after: Originates from the French explorer Champlain, who called it Lac St. Louis. It was later known as Lac Frontenac. “Ontara” means “lake” in Iroquois. “Ontario” means “beautiful lake.”
Lake Ontario is the 14th largest lake in the world, but the smallest of the Great Lakes by area. It lies 325 feet below adjacent Lake Erie, at the foot of Niagara Falls.
The USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards recognize the best in travel, food and drink, and lifestyle. Each week, USA TODAY 10Best invites a panel of industry experts to nominate their favorite sights and attractions in a variety of categories. 10Best editors review these nominations and select a final group of nominees to be presented to the public over a four-week period.
Clare Mulroy of USA TODAY and The Detroit Almanac contributed to this report.
Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress), YouTube (@DetroitFreePress), Twitter/X (@freep) and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook (@detroitfreepress).
Contact Amy Huschka: [email protected] or follow her on Twitter (@aetmanshuschka).
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