US lakes & pondsUS lakes & pondsSurface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 121860494).
The red circle marks Hardy Dam Pond.
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: Muskellunge.
Stocked: 2022; 1,000 fish in all, fry included
Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources: Fish Stocking Database (records for Hardy Dam Pond, Newaygo County, since 2010). 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 121860494), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Michigan DNR boating access sites and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.
OpenStreetMap shows about 26.5 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 100 m (330 ft) of the Hardy Dam Pond shoreline, mostly along the north, south and west shores. They follow about 75% of the shore, so you can walk most of the way around but not a full loop.
The dashed brown line on the lake map shows these trails. We include paths, footways and marked trails that OpenStreetMap doesn't mark as private, and leave out roads, sidewalks and snowmobile corridors. Mapped trails can still cross private land or close for the season, and not every trail is mapped, so follow posted signs.
Trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors, available under the Open Database License (ODbL). Map data as of Oct 9, 2026. Trail lengths count only the parts within about 100 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.
We found 25 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Hardy Dam Pond, 9 of them within 5 miles. 7 are right on the shore. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.
RVs welcome
Tent sites
Tent sites
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.
Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (43.5279, -85.5765). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Hardy Dam Pond. 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.
5 public access sites listed, 5 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.
| Site | Town | Owner | Type | Parking | Fee | Uses | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boat ramp | Big Prairie | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 43.4913, -85.6368 |
| Boat ramp | Big Prairie | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 43.5101, -85.6094 |
| Boat ramp | Big Prairie | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 43.5125, -85.6020 |
| Boat ramp | Big Prairie | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 43.5117, -85.5818 |
| Boat ramp | Mecosta | — | Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp | — | — | Boating | 43.5632, -85.5499 |
Michigan DNR boating access sites and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)
Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.
Hardy Dam Pond covers about 3,150 acres in Big Prairie, Mecosta and Aetna, Michigan (Newaygo County).
Michigan DNR stocking and lake depth records lists Muskellunge.
Yes. 5 public trailer launches are listed: Boat ramp, Boat ramp and Boat ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.
Yes. We list 25 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 9 of them within 5 miles.
Hardy Dam Pond touches Big Prairie, Mecosta and Aetna in Newaygo County and Mecosta County, Michigan.
Know Hardy Dam Pond? 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 Big Prairie