Straits Lake is a 187-acre, clear water, sand bottom, spring fed lake. It is the largest lake in a chain of lakes with a total of 465 acres of surface water. An irregular shoreline of bays and points, channels and islands, make for ever changing views and cruising by pontoon boat, kayak or canoe. This lake chain and surrounding features and benefits are unique in the central Upper Peninsula.

Sundance Pointe Cabin was beautifully designed and built and is professionally maintained. This is a classic fine log home, pine paneled and spacious with a comfortable great room and massive stone fireplace. It has 4 bedrooms or 5, depending on the use; 2 baths, maple floors, and high ceilings with skylights. Massive decks extend close against tall pines. Features include a fire pit by the lake, a pleasant path along the entire frontage, a winding gravel entry road ending in a turnaround and a detached two car garage. The cabin and its setting are truly lovely.

For those who know, this is a strategic location. Sail or power boating on Lake Superior or Lake Michigan is within 20 minutes to the north or to the south. You have easy access to Hiawatha National Forest, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Grand Island National Recreation Area, and the Seney National Wildlife Refuge.

Hanley Field Airport, a 4,000 foot municipal grass strip is just 12 miles from the property, handy if you own or have access to a light plane. Forest Glen General Store is a close 3.5 miles. This is a place to enjoy the serenity of lake living and the out of doors whether you choose kayak or canoe, snowshoes or snowmobile, sailboat or pontoon, hiking trail or an Adirondack chair on the porch.

These lakes lie southeast of Munising in the central U.P., lovely lake country protected by the Hiawatha National Forest. The property is 15 miles south of M-28 at Wetmore, less than a mile off Forest Highway H13, at the intersection of Schoolcraft, Delta and Alger Counties. It has long been one of the best resort areas in the Upper Peninsula with stores, restaurants, fire protection and services nearby.

Seasonal activities are abundant and diversified. You’ll find opportunities in the U.P. and at Straits Lake for a deeper, richer experience. It can become your home up north, a family retreat where solitude and comfort are your favorite pastimes. You will enjoy the clearness of the air, the clarity of the skies, and the boldness of the forests.

As a counter to the peace of lakefront living you will likely visit Marquette, a growing city that offers unique restaurants and entertainment plus the energy, academia and culture created by a mid-sized university. Marquette was recently labeled one of the top 100 small arts communities in the nation.

This area is the geographic center of the Upper Peninsula with a population of about 9,000. The largest city close by is Munising with 2,300 residents. July temperatures average 76 degrees. The average temperature in January is 26 degrees with average annual snowfall that averages 71 inches. Schoolcraft County contains 1,884 square miles of which 37.85% or 713 square miles is water: rivers, brook trout streams, and inland lakes.

Straits Lake is the largest of these. It connects to Corner Lake (141 acres), Skeels Lake (91 acres), and Deep Lake (42 acres), and adjoins Ostrander Lake (50 acres). There are many smaller lakes nearby including Pine, Tomash, and Tom’s. Click right here to view a pdf overview of the Straits Lake area or a pdf closeup of Sundance Pointe.

Straits Lake has islands. The largest island is owned by the Federal Government and is open to your use. It is a prominent feature of the view from this property and an asset in many ways. The owner who has loved this property for 10 years tells me it is the perfect place to picnic, camp, wander, and let your dog run free.

Indian River and the Indian River Canoe Trail connect to Straits Lake. Canoe or kayak all the way downstream to Lake Michigan when the spirit moves you. It is a great trip through scenic parts of the U.P. Once a working river during the log driving era, Indian River is now a great day paddle or multi-day canoe trip. This 51 mile long river was designated a Federal Wild and Scenic River in 1992. You will discover beautiful and varied scenery, from canyon-like banks and sharp curves, to broad marshland reaches.

After mid-June, the gentle flow of the river, combined with its scenic beauty, will impress any canoeist. A one or two-day trip will take you deep into Hiawatha National Forest where you drift past northern hardwoods, mixed conifers, rolling hills and marshlands. The average width of the river is 30-50 feet with an average depth of 1 to 3 ft.

Straits Lake is a good fishing lake for large and smallmouth bass. Occasionally large northern pike up to 42 inches are caught. 56% of the bluegills and sunfish taken in the DNR test-net samples ran 7 to 11 inches. Those are lots of fun to catch for anglers large and small, especially on featherlight gear or a fly rod.

Frontage on Straits Lake is exceptionally high and lovely. An open, inviting forest of hemlock, red and white pine, maple, birch and aspen surrounds the lake, with bracken fern, arbutus and wintergreen underfoot. This forest is not nearly as dense as typical forestland in the U.P. because the soil just a few inches down is pure sand. There are too few nutrients to create dense cover, which makes for a sun-dappled open forest, perfect for hiking.

Because sand is the common soil the lakes are clear with a hard sand bottom. Rainfall and snowmelt is filtered through sand, which feeds clear, cool spring water to the lakes. The sand bottom and many sheltered bays make it a fine waterskiing lake too, although not that many folks ski any more. There is not a lot of boat traffic here.

Inland lake living does not get better than this! The land includes a surveyed 5 acres with 850 feet of frontage including all of a wide point with a walking trail along the shore. It offers privacy and panoramic lake views from high in a grove of very large white pines. It is elegant, classic, original, and large. The feel is north woods, relaxed and comfortable.

Only in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula can you buy a home as fine as this one with so much waterfront at this price. This property offers years of irreplaceable family enjoyment at reasonable cost. This is an opportunity.

$449,500