| Walloon Lake | |
|---|---|
 View of North Arm | |
  Walloon Lake | |
| Location | Charlevoix /Emmet counties,Michigan,United States |
| Coordinates | 45°17′09″N85°01′06″W / 45.28583°N 85.01833°W /45.28583; -85.01833 |
| Type | Glacial |
| Primary inflows | groundwater |
| Primary outflows | Bear River |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Max. length | 9 mi (14 km) |
| Max. width | 0.7–1.3 mi (1.1–2.1 km) |
| Surface area | 4,270 acres (17.3 km2) |
| Max. depth | 100 ft (30 m) |
| Residence time | 5+ years |
| Surface elevation | 686 feet (209 m)[1] |
| Settlements | Village of Walloon Lake |
Walloon Lake is aglacier-formed lake located inCharlevoix andEmmet counties, just southwestward from the northern tip of theLower Peninsula of Michigan. It is now home to manyvacation homes andcottages. Though the end of the west arm of the lake is less than 1 mile (1.6 km) fromLake Michigan, Walloon Lake's surface elevation is over 100 feet (30 m) higher. TheBear River drains from the east end of the lake inWalloon Lake village, winding east then north down to its outflow into Lake Michigan at the south end ofPetoskey.
Locals refer to their cottages as being on the "west arm", or the "foot", etc. The lake covers 4,270 acres (17.3 km2) and is primarily fed fromgroundwater. Its maximum depth is just over 100 feet (30 m). Recently, the introduction of the invasivezebra mussel has made the clear waters even clearer. For a few months after the ice melts (usually in April), it is possible to see to the bottom of the lake at depths up to 30 feet.
Real-estate value has increased rapidly since the 1970s, and many large houses have been built around the lake. There are two currently active camps on the lake:Camp Daggett and Camp Michigania built on the site of the prior Camp Huntington/Sherwood which was purchased in 1962 by theUniversity of Michigan's Alumni Association.[2] Starting around 2010, the area on the foot of the lake began redevelopment. New condominiums were constructed. In the next few years, a restaurant was built, and a retail store was created on the site of the old SI's marine. In 2014 developers broke ground on a new hotel to sit in between the marina and condominiums.
Indian Trails provides daily intercity bus service betweenSt. Ignace andEast Lansing, Michigan.[3]
Located on the north shore of Walloon Lake,Windemere was the childhood summer home ofErnest Hemingway. The house is still owned by the Hemingway family and is home to one of Hemingway's nephews.[4]
Originally named Fern Cottage, the inn was a destination point for many visitors and also served as a docking point for the steamboats that would take the travelers to hotels or to their cottages on the lake.[5] The inn has been renovated over the last thirty years and now serves the community as afine dining restaurant. The inn also houses a French-style restaurant and a culinary school.[6]