Lake Charlevoix

Lake Charlevoix is the heart of the county — a big, clear, Y-shaped lake that’s the third largest inland lake in Michigan, with more than 50 miles of shoreline. Its main body stretches east toward Boyne City, while a long South Arm reaches south to East Jordan, and at the northwest end it spills through the city of Charlevoix into Lake Michigan. Ringed by towns, cottages, and wooded hills, it’s the center of summer life here: boating, sailing, swimming, and fishing for bass, walleye, and perch.

A fun piece of local color: there’s no bridge across the narrow South Arm, so the little Ironton Ferry — a cable ferry that has been carrying a handful of cars at a time since the 1870s — still shuttles across, just as it has for generations.

For buyers, Lake Charlevoix frontage is among the most prized (and most expensive) property in the region, and even lots a short walk from the water carry a premium. The usual waterfront questions matter especially here: exactly where your lot meets the lake, whether you have true frontage or shared access through an association, and the condition of any older septic system (see the well-and-septic note), since the community works hard to protect the lake’s clean water.