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Perch Lake

Excelsior, Michigan — Kalkaska County.

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9.6Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 60087866).

Getting there

Flying here

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Perch Lake, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

Driving here

Pick up a rental car at the airport you fly into and drive to Perch Lake.

Car rental links go to our partner Discover Cars; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Staying here

Look for hotels in and around Excelsior, MI.

Search hotels near Excelsior, MI on Klook

Hotel links go to our partner Klook; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and availability are set by Klook. Affiliate disclosure.

Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Things to do near Perch Lake

Look up tours, activities and attraction tickets around Excelsior, MI on Klook.

Browse things to do near Excelsior, MI on Klook

Activity links go to our partner Klook; LakeRipple may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate disclosure.

Boat rentals near Perch Lake

Browse boat, pontoon and kayak rentals and charters listed on GetMyBoat.

Boat rentals in Michigan on GetMyBoat

Listings, prices and availability are set by GetMyBoat and its hosts. Check the lake's own boating rules before you go.

Location & fast facts

Where Perch Lake is in Michigan

The red circle marks Perch Lake.

Fast facts

About Perch Lake

  • County: Kalkaska
  • Town: Excelsior
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 194 mi from Detroit and 128 mi from Grand Rapids and 169 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. Walleye
  • Camping. 16 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)

20 ftMaximum depth

Fish species stocked here by the Michigan DNR since 2010: Walleye.

Stocked: 2014; 500 fish in all, fry included

Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources: Fish Stocking Database (records for Perch Lake, Kalkaska 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.

Fishing gear for Perch Lake

Gear picks based on the fish listed for Perch Lake above. These open Amazon search results; check your state's fishing rules for the water before you buy bait or tackle.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate disclosure.

Lake map

Perch Lake shoreline

0.1 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 60087866), 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 Perch Lake

We found 16 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Perch Lake, 1 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

10 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: 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 (44.7534, -85.0227). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Perch 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 Perch 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 Perch Lake

    How big is Perch Lake?

    Perch Lake covers about 10 acres in Excelsior, Michigan (Kalkaska County).

    How deep is Perch Lake?

    The maximum recorded depth is 20 feet, according to the Michigan DNR stocking and lake depth records.

    What fish are in Perch Lake?

    Michigan DNR stocking and lake depth records lists Walleye.

    Are there campgrounds near Perch Lake?

    Yes. We list 16 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 1 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Perch Lake?

    Perch Lake touches Excelsior in Kalkaska County, Michigan.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Perch 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 Excelsior