Grand Traverse Bay
Grand Traverse Bay (/ˈtrævərs/ TRAV-ərs) is an arm of Lake Michigan, located along the west coast of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The bay is separated from the rest of Lake Michigan by the Leelanau Peninsula. The bay is some 32 miles (51 km) long, ranges from 7 to 10 miles (11 to 16 km) wide, and up to 620 feet (190 m) deep in spots. It is the second-largest bay of Lake Michigan, behind Green Bay.
| Grand Traverse Bay | |
|---|---|
East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay looking west from Elk Rapids toward Old Mission Peninsula | |
Grand Traverse Bay Location within the state of Michigan | |
| Location | Antrim, Charlevoix, Grand Traverse, and Leelanau counties, Michigan, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 45.06°N 85.48°W |
| Type | Bay |
| Part of | Lake Michigan |
| Primary inflows | Boardman River, Elk River |
| Surface elevation | 581 feet (177 m) |
| Islands | Bellow Island, Power Island |
| Settlements | Elk Rapids, Suttons Bay, Traverse City |
Grand Traverse Bay is further divided into an East Arm and West Arm by the 17-mile-long (27 km) Old Mission Peninsula. At the head of both arms of the bay is Traverse City, the largest city in Northern Michigan. The area surrounding the bay is renowned for its fruit production, especially for cherries and viticulture.
The bay is located within parts of the Michigan counties of Antrim, Charlevoix, Grand Traverse, and Leelanau.