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Pickerel Lake

Corwith, Michigan — Otsego County.

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42Surface acres
1Public access sites
0.3 miShoreline trails

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 155411186).

Location & fast facts

Where Pickerel Lake is in Michigan

The red circle marks Pickerel Lake.

Fast facts

About Pickerel Lake

  • County: Otsego
  • Town: Corwith
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 210 mi from Detroit and 163 mi from Grand Rapids and 167 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

  • Paddling. 1 public access site, no trailer ramp listed
  • Fishing. Rainbow trout
  • Walking. 0.3 mi of trail near the shore (trails)
  • Camping. 14 campgrounds within 15 mi, 1 on the shore (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)

33 ftMaximum depth

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

Stocked: 2010–2026, 16 years; 44,910 fish in all, fry included

Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources: Fish Stocking Database (records for Pickerel Lake, Otsego 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

Pickerel Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Pickerel Lake State Forest Campground (campground)Pickerel Lake Sfcg boating access site (Boat launch)10.1 mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launchShoreline trail Campground
  1. 1Pickerel Lake Sfcg boating access site
    Boat launch · Corwith

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 155411186), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Michigan DNR boating access sites. Dashed trails: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Shoreline trails

0.3 miTrail within 80 m of shore
About 20%Of the shoreline
NoLoops the whole lake
North shoreWhere

OpenStreetMap shows about 0.3 mi of public hiking and walking trail within about 80 m (260 ft) of the Pickerel Lake shoreline, mostly along the north shore.

Trails along the shore

Getting to the trails

No trailhead is mapped for these trails. The closest public access site is Pickerel Lake Sfcg boating access site, 0.1 mi from a shoreline trail (Michigan DNR boating access data).

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 80 m of the USGS NHD lake outline.

Campgrounds near Pickerel Lake

We found 14 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Pickerel Lake, 6 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.

8 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 (45.1764, -84.5225). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Pickerel 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 Pickerel 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.

    Boat launches & access sites

    1 public access site listed, 1 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Pickerel Lake Sfcg boating access siteCorwith—Boat launch · Yes ramp——Boating45.1770, -84.5198

    Michigan DNR boating access sites

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Pickerel Lake

    How big is Pickerel Lake?

    Pickerel Lake covers about 42 acres in Corwith, Michigan (Otsego County).

    How deep is Pickerel Lake?

    The maximum recorded depth is 33 feet, according to the Michigan DNR stocking and lake depth records.

    What fish are in Pickerel Lake?

    Michigan DNR stocking and lake depth records lists Rainbow trout.

    Is there a public boat launch on Pickerel Lake?

    No trailer ramp is listed, but there is 1 public access site for car-top boats or shore access.

    Are there campgrounds near Pickerel Lake?

    Yes. We list 14 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 6 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Pickerel Lake?

    Pickerel Lake touches Corwith in Otsego County, Michigan.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Pickerel 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 Corwith