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Upper Dam Lake

Duncan, Michigan — Houghton County.

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17Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID {D81F2860-57E8-4FE8-99E6-149F3AB08624}).

Getting there

Flying here

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

Driving here

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

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Staying here

Look for hotels in and around Duncan, MI.

Search hotels near Duncan, MI on Klook

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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 Upper Dam Lake

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

Browse things to do near Duncan, MI on Klook

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Boat rentals near Upper Dam 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 Upper Dam Lake is in Michigan

The red circle marks Upper Dam Lake.

Fast facts

About Upper Dam Lake

  • County: Houghton
  • Town: Duncan
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 399 mi from Detroit and 283 mi from Grand Rapids and 64 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. 8 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)

6 ftMaximum depth

Source: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Institute for Fisheries Research inland lake deepest-point data (lake 31-39). Lake depth maps are on the DNR inland lake maps page.

Fishing gear for Upper Dam Lake

Basic freshwater tackle for a day on Upper Dam 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.

Lake map

Upper Dam Lake shoreline

¼ 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 {D81F2860-57E8-4FE8-99E6-149F3AB08624}), 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 Upper Dam Lake

We found 8 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Upper Dam Lake, 3 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

2 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 (46.4246, -88.7371). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Upper Dam 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 Upper Dam 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 Upper Dam Lake

    How big is Upper Dam Lake?

    Upper Dam Lake covers about 17 acres in Duncan, Michigan (Houghton County).

    How deep is Upper Dam Lake?

    The maximum recorded depth is 6 feet, according to the Michigan DNR stocking and lake depth records.

    Are there campgrounds near Upper Dam Lake?

    Yes. We list 8 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 3 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Upper Dam Lake?

    Upper Dam Lake touches Duncan in Houghton County, Michigan.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Upper Dam 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 Duncan