Living on the Lake Huron shore in Iosco County

Iosco County’s eastern edge is all Lake Huron. The shoreline is the main event. The centerpiece is Tawas Bay, a calm, sandy-bottomed bay tucked behind the long hook of Tawas Point. Tawas City and East Tawas sit right on the water. North of the bay, the open-lake shore runs up past Au Sable to Oscoda and the mouth of the Au Sable River. To the south, the coast continues down through Alabaster along Saginaw Bay.

For people who live here, the lake is a year-round draw. There are sandy beaches and calm swimming in Tawas Bay. There’s boating and sailing out of the harbors. And there’s some of the best fishing on this side of the state: walleye and perch in the bay, plus salmon, trout, and walleye out in the big water. Waterfront and water-view property is the premium real estate in the county. US-23 hugs the shore, so the views come easy.

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 required bluff setbacks on any lakefront lot. And as with any Great Lakes fishery, check the state’s current fish-consumption guidelines. The payoff is real, though. This stretch of the Sunrise Side is one of the nicest places to live on Lake Huron.