Mullett Lake

Mullett Lake is one of the largest and deepest inland lakes in Michigan, a clear, roughly 17,000-acre lake in Cheboygan County that forms a key link in the Inland Waterway connecting the chain of lakes and rivers toward Lake Huron. Reaching depths near 140 feet, it is a true cold-and-deep northern lake with a long fishing and boating heritage.

Mullett is renowned among anglers for walleye, smallmouth bass, perch and pike, and as one of the few Michigan inland lakes still home to the ancient lake sturgeon, the giant, prehistoric fish that draws special conservation attention. Boaters cruise its broad waters and the connecting Inland Waterway, while the lakeside communities and Aloha State Park provide access and camping. Deep, clean and storied, Mullett Lake is a centerpiece of northern-Michigan lake country.

Summer brings warm shallows for swimming, steady boating winds and strong fishing — reserve state-park campsites early. Late spring and fall offer excellent fishing with fewer crowds, and fall adds color to the surrounding country. Winter is a serious ice-fishing season on the big lake. Mullett’s size and depth make it rewarding across the seasons for anglers and boaters alike.

Loons, bald eagles, ospreys, herons and waterfowl frequent the lake and its bays and river connections, while the surrounding forests hold white-tailed deer and a varied bird community. The deep, clean water supports a diverse fishery, including the ancient lake sturgeon. The Inland Waterway’s rivers and wetlands add rich habitat, making the area a fine place for wildlife watching by boat or along the shore.

Mullett Lake is a top northern fishery, prized for walleye, smallmouth bass, yellow perch and northern pike, with cisco in its deep water and the rare, protected lake sturgeon among its most storied residents. Its depth, reefs and drop-offs provide outstanding structure, and the lake fishes well in open water and through the ice. Sturgeon are strictly protected with special regulations. Always follow current Michigan DNR seasons, limits and rules before fishing.

Mullett is large and deep, and wind can build dangerous waves quickly across its open water — boaters should watch the weather, wear life jackets and carry safety gear. The deep water is cold even in summer, raising cold-water-shock risk off the warm shallows; supervise swimmers. In winter, check ice conditions carefully before venturing out, as quality varies across the big lake.

Mullett Lake’s broad, deep waters are made for boating, sailing, fishing and swimming, and as part of the Inland Waterway it draws boaters traveling the long water trail toward Lake Huron. Aloha State Park on the southeast shore offers a campground, beach and launch, and public access points ring the lake. The surrounding Cheboygan County country adds hiking, biking and the river connections of the waterway to explore.

Mullett Lake, named like neighboring Burt Lake for a 19th-century surveyor, has a deep history of Native American use and was a key segment of the historic Inland Waterway travel route across the northern Lower Peninsula. The lake’s sturgeon were once a vital resource, and resort and cottage life grew up along its shores through the 20th century. Aloha State Park opened public access to the big lake.

Mullett Lake fills a deep, glacially carved basin from the last Ice Age, one of the chain of lakes and rivers forming the Inland Waterway. Its great depth — among the deepest of Michigan’s inland lakes — reflects the powerful glacial scouring that created it. The surrounding sandy, forested terrain and connected waters all share this glacial heritage that defines northern-Michigan lake country.

Mullett Lake is a large, deep, clear northern lake whose cold depths support cisco, sturgeon and lake trout-type habitat, while its shallows hold warmwater species. As a key link in the Inland Waterway, its health is tied to the connected lakes and rivers, and the spread of aquatic invasive species is the chief threat. The presence of lake sturgeon makes the lake especially significant for conservation.

As one of Michigan’s largest and deepest inland lakes and a key link in the Inland Waterway, Mullett Lake holds a treasured place in northern-Michigan recreation and fishing lore — including its association with the ancient lake sturgeon. Generations of anglers and boaters have fished and traveled its waters, and the lake anchors the communities of the surrounding Cheboygan County resort country.

Aloha State Park on the southeast shore offers a campground, beach and boat launch, and additional DNR launches and access points ring the lake. The villages around Mullett Lake and the town of Cheboygan to the north provide services, and the Inland Waterway connects the lake to Burt Lake and on toward Lake Huron. The lake is reached via I-75 and area roads in Cheboygan County.

Mullett Lake’s health depends on protecting the whole Inland Waterway from nutrient pollution and aquatic invasive species, and on the special protection of its rare lake sturgeon, which are strictly regulated and the focus of restoration efforts. Boaters must clean, drain and dry their craft, and anglers must follow sturgeon rules carefully. Shared stewardship of the connected waters sustains the lake and its famous fish.

Follow Michigan DNR fishing regulations, seasons and limits, including the strict protections and special rules for lake sturgeon. A Recreation Passport is required to enter Aloha State Park. Boaters must follow state boating and invasive-species laws — clean, drain and dry — and observe no-wake zones. Camp only in reserved, designated sites, and respect private shoreline.

Burt Lake and the Inland Waterway connect Mullett to the chain of lakes toward Lake Huron, with the town of Cheboygan, the Straits of Mackinac and Lake Huron to the north. The Pigeon River Country State Forest with its elk herd, Burt Lake, and the Mackinac region are all close, making the area a hub of northern Lower Peninsula water and forest recreation.

Fish the reefs, drop-offs and deep water for walleye, smallmouth and perch — and know the strict rules protecting the lake’s sturgeon. Base at Aloha State Park for camping and access. Cruise the Inland Waterway between Mullett and Burt lakes. Always clean, drain and dry your craft, and pair a visit with the Pigeon River elk country and the Straits of Mackinac.