Living on the Lake Huron shore in Alcona County

Alcona County’s whole eastern edge is Lake Huron, and US-23 — the Sunrise Side’s coastal highway — runs right along it. This is a quiet, scenic stretch of coast: small harbor towns, sandy and pebbly beaches, and some of the darkest night skies and prettiest sunrises in the Lower Peninsula.

Harrisville, the county seat, anchors the shore with its harbor, a state park right in town, and a walkable little downtown. Just north, Sturgeon Point reaches into the lake with a historic 1800s lighthouse and an undeveloped state park; to the south, Greenbush has more cottage-lined beach. For people who live here, the lake means swimming, boating out of the Harrisville harbor, and fishing for everything from perch to salmon and trout. And up at the north end of the county, Negwegon State Park is a famously empty stretch of wild Lake Huron beach.

A couple of practical notes for shoreline buyers: Great Lakes water levels rise and fall over the years, so ask about high-water marks, erosion, and bluff setbacks on any lakefront lot. And check the state’s current fish-consumption guidelines, as with any Great Lakes fishery. The payoff is a genuinely peaceful piece of the Lake Huron coast.