Long Lake

A few miles west of Traverse City, Long Lake is the largest inland lake in Grand Traverse County — a big, clear, island-dotted lake that anchors its own township. With several wooded islands and a long, irregular shoreline, it’s a favorite for boating, swimming, and fishing, and it’s known for having one of the largest nesting populations of loons in the Lower Peninsula, whose calls carry across the water on summer evenings.

Long Lake Township is mostly lake homes, woods, and rolling country, an easy drive from town but a world away in feel. There are public access points and a township park for swimming and launching boats.

For buyers, lakefront and lake-access property on Long Lake is in steady demand and priced accordingly, while wooded lots back from the water are more affordable. Most homes here are on wells and septic, and Long Lake Township has its own septic inspection rule on top of the county’s — so check the well-and-septic note before you buy.