{{Short description|Drainage basin in Michigan, United States}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}}
right|288px The '''Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed''', commonly known as the '''Chain of Lakes''', is a {{convert|75|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} waterway consisting of numerous lakes and connecting rivers in the northwestern Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. The watershed empties via the Elk River in Elk Rapids into the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay, a bay of Lake Michigan.
The watershed includes {{convert|500|sqmi|sqkm}} in Antrim, Charlevoix, Grand Traverse, and Kalkaska counties. The watershed includes a series of 14 lakes and interconnecting rivers. From the uppermost lake in the chain, Beals Lake in Echo Township, Antrim County, the water flows {{convert|55|mi|km}} and drops {{convert|40|ft|m}} in elevation. It has over {{convert|200|mi|km}} of shoreline and almost {{convert|60|sqmi|sqkm}} of water surface area.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/ess-nps-fs-elk-river_208801_7.pdf|title=Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed Project – CMI}}</ref><ref>[http://www.watershedcouncil.org/water%20resources/local%20watersheds/elk%20river%20watershed/files/Elk%20River%20Chain%20of%20Lakes%20-%202010%20Lake%20Profil.pdf Elk River Chain of Lakes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728171908/http://www.watershedcouncil.org/water%20resources/local%20watersheds/elk%20river%20watershed/files/Elk%20River%20Chain%20of%20Lakes%20-%202010%20Lake%20Profil.pdf |date=2011-07-28 }}, 2010 Report, Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council</ref>
== Geography == [[File:Torch Lake Antrim County (July 2019).jpg|thumb|Torch Lake is the second-largest and deepest inland lake in Michigan.]] The chain of lakes system begins with the upper stage of the Intermediate River, which rises in hill country at {{coord|45|00|20|N|85|04|45|W|region:US-MI_type:river_source:GNIS}}<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite gnis|629056|Intermediate River}}</ref> in the northwest corner of Chestonia Township in central Antrim County. From here, the waterway traverses a number of small lakes flowing north, then making a sharp turn near the village of Ellsworth, flows south through a narrow valley, paralleling the tracks of the Pere Marquette Railroad, until emptying into Intermediate Lake. The outlet of Intermediate Lake converges with the Cedar River in the village of Bellaire, gaining considerable volume. Now a river of substantial flow, it continues south into {{convert|1700|acre|km2|adj=on}} Lake Bellaire. Leaving the lake, the stream becomes the Grass River, winding for some {{convert|2|mi|km|spell=in}} through the scenic Grass River Natural Area before emptying into Clam Lake. Clam Lake in turn empties directly into Torch Lake. At over {{convert|18000|acre|km2}} in size, Torch Lake is the largest body of water in the system. The waterway, now clarified after traversing the immense depths of the lake, continues south through the Torch River, joins with the Rapid River, a major tributary, and empties into Lake Skegemog, a {{convert|2500|acre|km2|adj=on}} lake that is studded with large stump fields, the result of the flooding of timberlands when the lake level was raised several feet by the construction of the dam at the terminus of the system. Lake Skegemog, which is the meeting point of Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Antrim counties, is conjoined at its western end to {{convert|7700|acre|km2|adj=on}} Elk Lake, the second-largest and final lake in the system. The outflow of Elk Lake, the Elk River, flows a short distance to a power dam in the town of Elk Rapids, then out into the east arm of the Grand Traverse Bay of Lake Michigan at {{Coord|44|54|06|N|85|24|49|W|type:landmark_region:US-MI|display=title,inline}}.<ref name="elkriv">{{cite gnis|625460|Elk River}}</ref> For most of its length, the chain is navigable by small boat, broken up only by a dam in Bellaire. Larger boats are able to navigate between Elk Rapids and Torch Lake.
== History == {{see also|History of Northern Michigan}} Various tribes of primarily Ojibwa Native Americans inhabited the region when the first white settlers began to arrive in the middle of the 19th century to attempt farming. The thin soils and short, cool summers made traditional farming difficult, and the region remained sparsely settled until the 1880s, when lumber interests began exploiting the region's vast tracts of white pine forests. The waterway provided an excellent means of transporting logs down to sawmills located along the way. The arrival of the railroads in the 1890s accelerated lumbering and other economic activities, and brought in visitors from distant places, who marveled at the natural beauty of lakes and rivers of the chain, turning it into a major destination for vacationers from downstate and elsewhere. Scores of resorts cropped up on the shorelines of all the major lakes of the system, catering to fisherman and wild-life enthusiasts. By 1910, the lumber era had all but passed, and many once prosperous towns and villages in the area went into decline. Many of the region's farmers, having failed to get decent yields of traditional crops, either moved on, or turned to cultivation of fruit crops, most notably cherries, as the area's sandy soil and cool lake climate were found to be favorable for growing such produce. Fruit farming and tourism became, and remain, the leading economic activities of the region. The chain is also a recreational hub, including boating and the Chain of Lakes Water Trail, hosted by Paddle Antrim. <ref>{{cite web | title=Chain of Lakes Water Trail | url=https://www.michiganwatertrails.org/trail.asp?ait=ctv&ctid=55 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=Chain of Lakes - Water Trail | url=https://www.paddleantrim.com/chain-of-lakes-water-trail/ }}</ref>
== Rivers and lakes in the watershed == The 14 lakes (numbered) and connecting waterways in the chain of lakes are highlighted in bold. Other tributaries are in normal text * '''Elk River'''<ref name="elkriv" /> ** 1) '''Elk Lake'''<ref>{{cite gnis|1617384|Elk Lake}}</ref> *** Williamsburg Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|1616513|Williamsburg Creek}}</ref> **** Bissell Pond<ref>{{cite gnis|621464|Bissell Pond}}</ref> ***** Bissell Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|621463|Bissell Creek}}</ref> *** Battle Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|620757|Battle Creek}}</ref> *** 2) '''Lake Skegemog'''<ref>{{cite gnis|638052|Lake Skegemog}}</ref> **** Barker Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|620606|Barker Creek}}</ref> **** Desmond Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|624578|Desmond Creek}}</ref> **** '''Torch River'''<ref>{{cite gnis|1614973|Torch River}}</ref> ***** Rapid River<ref>{{cite gnis|635650|Rapid River}}</ref> ****** Rugg Pond (also known as Antrim Pond)<ref>{{cite gnis|1623091|Rugg Pond}}</ref> ******* Little Rapid River<ref>{{cite gnis|630747|Little Rapid River}}</ref> ***** 3) '''Torch Lake'''<ref>{{cite gnis|1614970|Torch Lake}}</ref> ****** Spencer Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|638498|Spencer Creek}}</ref> ****** Eastport Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|625302|Eastport Creek}}</ref> ****** Wilkinson Creek (also Wilkenson Creek)<ref>{{cite gnis|1616484|Wilkinson Creek}}</ref> ****** 4) '''Clam Lake'''<ref>{{cite gnis|623327|Clam Lake}}</ref> ******* Finch Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|625951|Finch Creek}}</ref> ******** Crow Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|624136|Crow Creek}}</ref> ******* '''Grass River'''<ref>{{cite gnis|627223|Grass River}}</ref> ******** Cold Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|623556|Cold Creek}}</ref> ******** Shanty Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|637662|Shanty Creek}}</ref> ******** 5) '''Lake Bellaire'''<ref>{{cite gnis|621049|Lake Bellaire}}</ref> ********* Grass Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|1618828|Grass Creek}}</ref> ********* '''Intermediate River'''<ref name="ReferenceA"/> ********** Cedar River<ref>{{cite gnis|622946|Cedar River}}</ref> *********** Blair Lake<ref>{{cite gnis|621560|Blair Lake}}</ref> *********** North Branch Cedar River<ref>{{cite gnis|633497|North Branch Cedar River}}</ref> *********** Woolcott Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|1616815|Woolcott Creek}}</ref> ********** 6) '''Intermediate Lake'''<ref>{{cite gnis|629055|Intermediate Lake}}</ref> *********** Openo Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|2100234|Openo Creek}}</ref> *********** Fisk Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|626085|Fisk Creek}}</ref> *********** 7) '''Hanley Lake'''<ref>{{cite gnis|627728|Hanley Lake}}</ref> ************ '''Green River'''<ref>{{cite gnis|1623147|Green River}}</ref> ************* Ogletree Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|633962|Ogletree Creek}}</ref> ************** Kitty Ann Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|629776|Kitty Ann Creek}}</ref> ************** Toad Lake<ref>{{cite gnis|1614892|Toad Lake}}</ref> *************** Toad Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|1614890|Toad Creek}}</ref> **************** Mud Lake<ref>{{cite gnis|633012|Mud Lake}}</ref> ***************** Little Torch Lake<ref>{{cite gnis|630429|Little Torch Lake}}</ref> ************* 8) '''Ben-way Lake'''<ref>{{cite gnis|621081|Ben-way Lake}}</ref> ************** Benway Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|621148|Benway Creek}}</ref> ************** 9) '''Wilson Lake'''<ref>{{cite gnis|1616583|Wilson Lake}}</ref> *************** Vonstraten Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|1615625|Vonstraten Creek}}</ref> **************** King Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|629690|King Creek}}</ref> **************** Eaton Lake<ref>{{cite gnis|625312|Eaton Lake}}</ref> *************** 10) '''Ellsworth Lake'''<ref>{{cite gnis|625499|Ellsworth Lake}}</ref> **************** Skinner Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|638062|Skinner Creek}}</ref> ***************** Skinner Lake<ref>{{cite gnis|638067|Skinner Lake}}</ref> ***************** Marion Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|1618829|Marion Creek}}</ref> **************** 11) St. Clair Lake<ref>{{cite gnis|636598|St. Clair Lake}}</ref> ***************** St. Clair Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|636595|St. Clair Creek}}</ref> ****************** Lyman Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|631228|Lyman Creek}}</ref> ******************* Lymans Lake (also Lyman Lake)<ref>{{cite gnis|631229|Lymans Lake}}</ref> ***************** 12) Sixmile Lake<ref>{{cite gnis|638030|Sixmile Lake}}</ref> ****************** Liscon Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|630535|Liscon Creek}}</ref> ******************* Ranney Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|635639|Ranney Creek}}</ref> ****************** Vance Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|2100361|Vance Creek}}</ref> ****************** '''Dingman River'''<ref>{{cite gnis|1623146|Dingman River}}</ref> ******************* Smith Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|638136|Smith Creek}}</ref> ******************* 13) Scotts Lake<ref>{{cite gnis|637483|Scotts Lake}}</ref> ******************** Beal Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|620814|Beal Creek}}</ref> ******************** 14) Beals Lake<ref>{{cite gnis|620816|Beals Lake}}</ref> ********************* '''Intermediate River'''<ref name="ReferenceA"/> ********************** Spence Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|638492|Spence Creek}}</ref> ********************** Taylor Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|1614617|Taylor Creek}}</ref> ********************** Seamon Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|2100233|Seamon Creek}}</ref> ********************** Hitchcock Creek<ref>{{cite gnis|628355|Hitchcock Creek}}</ref>
== Cities, villages, and townships in the watershed == The Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed includes all or portions of the following cities, villages, and townships: {{col-begin}}{{col-break|width=33%}} * Antrim County ** Banks Township ** Bellaire ** Central Lake ** Central Lake Township ** Chestonia Township ** Custer Township ** Echo Township ** Ellsworth ** Elk Rapids ** Forest Home Township ** Helena Township ** Kearney Township ** Mancelona Township ** Milton Township ** Star Township ** Torch Lake Township ** Warner Township {{col-break|width=33%}} * Charlevoix County ** Marion Township ** Norwood Township ** South Arm Township * Grand Traverse County ** Whitewater Township * Kalkaska County ** Clearwater Township ** Cold Springs Township ** Kalkaska ** Kalkaska Township ** Rapid River Township * Otsego County ** Elmira Township {{col-end}}
== See also == {{portal|Lakes}} * Inland Waterway (Michigan) * List of lakes in Michigan
== References == {{Reflist|3}}
== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110728172002/http://www.watershedcouncil.org/water%20resources/local%20watersheds/elk%20river%20watershed/ Elk River Watershed], Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council * [http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3313_3682_3714_31581-127690--,00.html Elk River Chain of Lakes Watershed], Michigan Department of Environmental Quality
{{Northern Michigan}}
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Category:Lakes of Michigan Category:Chains of lakes Category:Water trails Category:Lakes of Antrim County, Michigan Category:Lakes of Charlevoix County, Michigan Category:Lakes of Grand Traverse County, Michigan Category:Lakes of Kalkaska County, Michigan Category:Tributaries of Lake Michigan