Clam Lake is an 18,473-acre lake snuggled between Torch Lake and Lake Bellaire, about 30 miles from Traverse City and 140 miles from Grand Rapids. Clam Lake has become a popular destination for boating, fishing, skiing, and sightseeing. The lake’s maximum depth is 27 feet, and its average depth is 13 feet. Boaters, kayakers, and canoeists use Clam Lake as a passage through the miles of scenic waterway on the way to other lakes, but its nine-mile long shoreline is densely populated with year-round and seasonal residents. About 16 percent of the lake shoreline is protected from development. There are private and public boat ramps on both ends of the lake. Shallow marshes along the lake provide excellent cover for panfish and pike, and in deeper water anglers can expect to catch walleye, perch, bluegill, all kinds of bass, brown trout, and crappie. Ice fishing on the lake during the winter is also very popular. The Grass River Natural Area with seven miles of trails is located at the southeastern end of Clam Lake.

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