Which Four Great Lakes Border Michigan?
Michigan: The Great Lakes State (Four out of Five)
Michigan's unique geography gives it a coastline on four of the five Great Lakes:
- Lake Superior – Upper Peninsula north shore (longest freshwater coastline in US).
- Lake Michigan – Lower Peninsula west shore (world's longest freshwater shoreline for a single political jurisdiction).
- Lake Huron – Lower Peninsula east shore (including Saginaw Bay) + Upper Peninsula (St. Marys River).
- Lake Erie – Southeast corner (Monroe County) – smallest Michigan shoreline.
The Fifth Lake
Lake Ontario does not touch Michigan. It lies between New York and Ontario, separated by Lake Erie, Niagara River, and Lake St. Clair.
Coastline Stats
- Total Great Lakes Shoreline: 3,288 miles (5,292 km) – most of any state.
- Including Islands: 4,344 miles.
- Freshwater Coastline: Longest in the US (or world, depending on definition).
Michigan's identity, economy (shipping, tourism, fishing), and climate are defined by these four inland seas.
Wanderlust World