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Rifle Lake

West Branch, Michigan — Ogemaw County.

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11Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 118253999).

Getting there

Flying here

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

Driving here

Pick up a rental car at the airport you fly into and drive to Rifle 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 West Branch, MI.

Search hotels near West Branch, 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 Rifle Lake

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

Browse things to do near West Branch, 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 Rifle 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 Rifle Lake is in Michigan

The red circle marks Rifle Lake.

Fast facts

About Rifle Lake

  • County: Ogemaw
  • Town: West Branch
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 148 mi from Detroit and 118 mi from Grand Rapids and 219 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

  • Camping. 22 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.

Lake map

Rifle 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 118253999), 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 Rifle Lake

We found 22 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Rifle Lake, 1 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 (44.3009, -84.1971). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Rifle 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 Rifle 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.

    Fishing gear for Rifle Lake

    Basic freshwater tackle for a day on Rifle Lake. 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.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Rifle Lake

    How big is Rifle Lake?

    Rifle Lake covers about 11 acres in West Branch, Michigan (Ogemaw County).

    Are there campgrounds near Rifle Lake?

    Yes. We list 22 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 1 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Rifle Lake?

    Rifle Lake touches West Branch in Ogemaw County, Michigan.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Rifle 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 West Branch