Harsens Island and the St. Clair Flats
Harsens Island in Clay Township sits in the St. Clair Flats, a remarkable freshwater delta of marshes, canals, wildlife, and freighter views.
The St. Clair River does not enter Lake St. Clair through one tidy channel. It spreads into marshes, channels, and low islands known as the St. Clair Flats. Michigan EGLE calls the Flats a large coastal marsh. The DNR identifies the broader formation as the largest freshwater delta in the United States, the largest in the Great Lakes Basin, and one of the largest in the world.
Harsens Island sits within that watery landscape. Drivers take a car ferry from Algonac because there is no road bridge to the island. Once across, it helps to remember that Harsens is a community as well as a wildlife destination. Public managed land, homes, and local roads sit near one another; the DNR map shows where the wildlife-area unit begins.
The DNR manages 3,355 acres on Harsens for waterfowl habitat. The area is open without an entrance fee and lists birding, wildlife viewing, paddling, fishing, hiking, hunting, and trapping among its activities. During waterfowl season, daily permit drawings and active hunting make the current notices especially important. A quick map check before the ferry ride will tell you much more than the island name alone.
Where to see it
Harsens Island is reached by car ferry from Algonac. Use the DNR wildlife-area map to distinguish public managed land from the rest of the island.
Sources
Last reviewed against the listed sources: July 14, 2026.