US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsSurface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 113470423).
The red circle marks Ess Lake.
Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.
Official Michigan DNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.
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.
Fish species stocked here by the Michigan DNR since 2010: Walleye.
Stocked: 2010–2024, 8 years; 93,693 fish in all, fry included
Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources: Fish Stocking Database (records for Ess Lake, Montmorency 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.
Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.
Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 113470423), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Michigan DNR boating access sites. Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
We found 16 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Ess Lake, 2 of them within 5 miles. 1 is right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.
RVs welcome
RVs welcome
Electric hookups · RVs welcome · Tent sites · Showers
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: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (45.1130, -83.9825). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Ess Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.
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.
1 public access site listed, 1 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.
| Site | Town | Owner | Type | Parking | Fee | Uses | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ess boating access site | Hillman | — | Boat launch · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 45.1086, -83.9814 |
Michigan DNR boating access sites
Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.
Reported on or near Ess Lake
USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database
USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.
Ess Lake covers about 119 acres in Hillman and Montmorency, Michigan (Montmorency County).
The maximum recorded depth is 51 feet, according to the Michigan DNR stocking and lake depth records.
Michigan DNR stocking and lake depth records lists Walleye.
No trailer ramp is listed, but there is 1 public access site for car-top boats or shore access.
Yes. We list 16 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 2 of them within 5 miles.
Ess Lake touches Hillman and Montmorency in Montmorency County, Michigan.
Know Ess 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).
Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Michigan lakes & ponds · All waters in Hillman