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Cool Lake

Elk, Michigan — Lake County.

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78Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 60090988).

Location & fast facts

Where Cool Lake is in Michigan

The red circle marks Cool Lake.

Fast facts

About Cool Lake

  • County: Lake
  • Town: Elk
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 194 mi from Detroit and 84 mi from Grand Rapids and 179 mi from Marquette, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.

Fishing in Michigan

Official Michigan DNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Fishing. Yellow perch, Fathead minnow and Hybrid sunfish
  • Camping. 35 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Cold water. Water stays cold well into late spring and turns cold again in fall. Wear a life jacket when paddling in the shoulder seasons.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Official lake data (Michigan DNR)

43 ftMaximum depth

Fish species stocked here by the Michigan DNR since 2010: Fathead minnow, Hybrid sunfish, Yellow perch.

Stocked: 2018; 2,683 fish in all, fry included

Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources: Fish Stocking Database (records for Cool Lake, Lake County, since 2010) and the DNR Institute for Fisheries Research inland lake deepest-point data. These are stocking records, not a full fish survey; other species also live here.

Lake map

Cool Lake shoreline

¼ mileN

No public access sites are listed for this water in the Michigan DNR boating access sites data.

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 60090988), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Michigan DNR boating access sites. Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Campgrounds near Cool Lake

We found 35 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Cool Lake, 5 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

14 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in Michigan

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (44.1590, -85.9691). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Cool Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Cool Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in ET (America/Detroit), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Cool Lake

    How big is Cool Lake?

    Cool Lake covers about 78 acres in Elk, Michigan (Lake County).

    How deep is Cool Lake?

    The maximum recorded depth is 43 feet, according to the Michigan DNR stocking and lake depth records.

    What fish are in Cool Lake?

    Michigan DNR stocking and lake depth records lists Yellow perch, Fathead minnow and Hybrid sunfish.

    Are there campgrounds near Cool Lake?

    Yes. We list 35 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 5 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Cool Lake?

    Cool Lake touches Elk in Lake County, Michigan.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Cool Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Michigan lakes & ponds · All waters in Elk