Thunderbird Nest · Clare County
Things to do near Perch Lake in Lake, Michigan
A village general store, a rail-trail at the end of the road, Clare twenty minutes away, and every drive time measured from the lake.
Community amenities
Perch Lake and the village of Lake
Clare County, in the middle of the Lower Peninsula. The village was once called Lake Station. The exact address arrives with your booking. Times are Google Maps typical traffic on a weekday morning, measured from the lake.
Perch Lake
About 48 acres and 17 feet deep, per the Michigan DNR, with a public boat ramp on the northeast shore, 2 minutes away.
Quiet hours on the water
By DNR order, no high-speed boating or towing from 7:30 PM to 11 AM in summer. Outside those hours, boating is open.
Pere Marquette State Trail
A 55-mile rail-trail from Clare to Baldwin runs through Lake, past the 1930s coal dock. Parts are under repair, so check before you ride. In winter it is snowmobile trail LP 30.
The village
Lake General Store, a bait shop and a post office within a mile. Crooked Lake, 70 feet deep, is on the other side of the village.
Farwell and Clare
Groceries and hardware in Farwell, 9 to 12 minutes. Clare has the hospital, urgent care and Cops & Doughnuts, 18 to 22 minutes.
The map
Places near Perch Lake
Through the year
Summer
June to August
Highs 77 to 81°F
Dock and kayak season. The Clare County Fair in Harrison runs July 26 to 31, 2027.
Fall
September to November
Highs 72°F falling to 44°F
Color usually peaks in early to mid October. The dock and kayaks come in around November.
Winter
December to February
Highs 28 to 33°F
Downhill skiing and tubing at Snow Snake in Harrison, 20 to 24 minutes. Ice shanties on the area lakes, and the sauna and hot tub stay open.
Spring
March to May
Highs 42°F rising to 68°F
The Clare Irish Festival fills downtown Clare in March. The dock goes back in late April or early May.
Getting here
Drive times to Perch Lake
From the cities
Bay City
55 min to 1 hr 10 min
Saginaw
1 hr 5 to 1 hr 20 min
Lansing
1 hr 25 to 1 hr 50 min
Grand Rapids
1 hr 30 to 1 hr 50 min
Flint
1 hr 30 to 1 hr 50 min
Traverse City
1 hr 30 to 1 hr 50 min
Ann Arbor
2 hr 10 to 2 hr 40 min
Detroit
2 hr 20 to 3 hr
Toledo
3 hr to 3 hr 40 min
Chicago
4 hr to 5 hr 10 min
From the airports
MBS International (Saginaw, Midland, Bay City)
55 min to 1 hr 5 min
Traverse City (TVC)
1 hr 20 to 1 hr 40 min
Flint Bishop (FNT)
1 hr 30 to 1 hr 50 min
Grand Rapids (GRR)
1 hr 40 to 2 hr 10 min
Detroit Metro (DTW)
2 hr 30 to 3 hr
