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Higgins Lake is a premier deep, spring-fed glacial lake in Roscommon County, Michigan, spanning 9,900 surface acres with depths reaching 135 feet. Celebrated for its remarkable water clarity, sandy shallows, and twin state parks, it provides renowned Michigan recreation for boating, sailing, swimming, and sportfishing for lake trout and perch.
Updated
Latest source update is older than expected. Use caution and check the official source.
The last automated check (Oct 11, 3:16 AM EDT) found no active alerts for this lake, but that check is older than LakeRadar's alert freshness window, so the current alert status could not be confirmed.
Confirm before heading out: official alerts for this area or weather.gov/alerts. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
Overall Good (88/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Sailing (95/100).
How the score is calculated →Best excellent fishing window, averaging 93/100 across these hours. Wind 5 mph from the southwest. Dawn hours (06:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a | 6a | 7a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 60° | 59° | 58° | 56° | 56° | 57° | 60° | 62° | 65° | 67° | 69° | 70° | 71° | 71° | 68° | 65° | 62° | 61° | 60° | 59° | 58° | 58° | 58° | 57° |
| Wind (kts) | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| Direction | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | SW | SW | SW |
| Gusts (kts) | 13 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Precip % | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 2% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun, 4 AM EDT | 60°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 15 mph | 1% | 62% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 5 AM EDT | 59°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 14 mph | 1% | 57% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sun, 6 AM EDT | 58°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 13 mph | 1% | 43% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sun, 7 AM EDT | 56°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 13 mph | 1% | 30% | Mostly Sunny |
| Sun, 8 AM EDT | 56°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 12 mph | 1% | 16% | Sunny |
| Sun, 9 AM EDT | 57°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 13 mph | 1% | 14% | Sunny |
| Sun, 10 AM EDT | 60°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 13 mph | 1% | 13% | Sunny |
| Sun, 11 AM EDT | 62°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 14 mph | 1% | 11% | Sunny |
| Sun, 12 PM EDT | 65°F | 10 mph S (180°) | 13 mph | 1% | 10% | Sunny |
| Sun, 1 PM EDT | 67°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 13 mph | 1% | 10% | Sunny |
| Sun, 2 PM EDT | 69°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 12 mph | 1% | 10% | Sunny |
| Sun, 3 PM EDT | 70°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 12 mph | 1% | 7% | Sunny |
| Sun, 4 PM EDT | 71°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 10 mph | 1% | 5% | Sunny |
| Sun, 5 PM EDT | 71°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 10 mph | 2% | 2% | Sunny |
| Sun, 6 PM EDT | 68°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 9 mph | 0% | 3% | Clear |
| Sun, 7 PM EDT | 65°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 9 mph | 0% | 4% | Clear |
| Sun, 8 PM EDT | 62°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 9 mph | 0% | 5% | Clear |
| Sun, 9 PM EDT | 61°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 9 mph | 0% | 7% | Mostly Clear |
| Sun, 10 PM EDT | 60°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 10 mph | 0% | 8% | Mostly Clear |
| Sun, 11 PM EDT | 59°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 12 mph | 1% | 9% | Mostly Clear |
| Mon, 12 AM EDT | 58°F | 5 mph S (180°) | 12 mph | 1% | 18% | Mostly Clear |
| Mon, 1 AM EDT | 58°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 10 mph | 2% | 26% | Partly Cloudy |
| Mon, 2 AM EDT | 58°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 10 mph | 2% | 34% | Partly Cloudy |
| Mon, 3 AM EDT | 57°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 10 mph | 2% | 41% | Partly Cloudy |
| Mon, 4 AM EDT | 57°F | 5 mph SW (225°) | 12 mph | 2% | 49% | Partly Cloudy |
Official National Weather Service hourly forecast. Showing 10 of 25 hours. Wind arrows point the way the wind is blowing; the compass point and degrees show where it comes from.
| Period | Tonight October 10, 2026 | Overnight October 11, 2026 | Sunday October 11, 2026 | Sunday Night October 11, 2026 | Columbus Day October 12, 2026 | Monday Night October 12, 2026 | Tuesday October 13, 2026 | Tuesday Night October 13, 2026 | Wednesday October 14, 2026 | Wednesday Night October 14, 2026 | Thursday October 15, 2026 | Thursday Night October 15, 2026 | Friday October 16, 2026 | Friday Night October 16, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 56° | 56° | 73° | 55° | 77° | 60° | 68° | 49° | 61° | 43° | 61° | 44° | 55° | 35° |
| Wind | S 10 to 15 mph | S 10 mph | S 5 to 10 mph | SW 5 mph | SW 5 to 10 mph | S 5 mph | W 5 to 10 mph | NW 5 to 10 mph | NW 5 mph | N 5 mph | E 5 to 10 mph | S 10 mph | W 10 to 15 mph | NW 15 to 20 mph |
| Gusts | 18 mph | 15 mph | 14 mph | 12 mph | 16 mph | 15 mph | 20 mph | 18 mph | 16 mph | 15 mph | 17 mph | 17 mph | 29 mph | 30 mph |
| Precip % | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 67% | 67% | 13% | 5% | 11% | 27% | 44% | 44% | 44% |
| Forecast |
Good for fishing (86/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the south. 1% chance of precipitation. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend, water temperature. Confidence is moderate (74%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Good for boating (88/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: No active official alerts for this lake. Wind 10 mph from the south. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility and conditions. Confidence is moderate (84%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Excellent for sailing (95/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the S is in the preferred sailing range. No active official alerts for this lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Good for kayaking (87/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 10 mph from the south. No active official alerts for this lake. Confidence is high (90%).
Water temperature is not available from a verified source for this lake. No swimming score is shown without it.
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A versatile water resource in MI, Higgins Lake offers expansive open waters for motorized cruising, sailing, and shoreline fishing. The lake's dynamic character across the seasons attracts outdoor enthusiasts year-round. Check current USGS streamflow gauges, water temperatures, and state regulations for the best experience.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) is required for anglers age 17+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Current motorized watercraft registration mandatory. Practice Clean, Drain & Dry protocols: drain all livewells and inspect props before launching. Life jackets required for all passengers.
Public shoreline and boating access managed by Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR). Verify seasonal gate hours, launch fees, and parking rules before travel.
High-speed motorboating, pontoon cruising, wakeboarding, and water skiing across main channels. Target gamefish include Rock Bass, Rainbow Trout, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch. Morning hours typically provide optimal glassy conditions for kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) touring.
Warm water temperatures, peak swimming, active watersports, and open full-service campgrounds. Highest weekly attendance; plan early arrivals on summer weekends.
Spring pre-spawn and fall feeding transitions create prime trophy angling conditions. Cooler air, lower boat traffic, and vibrant seasonal shoreline foliage.
Northern cold winter conditions with freezing air temperatures and potential surface ice formation. Ramps and water systems may be winterized. Confirm open status before visiting.
No external source rows are cited by the data currently shown on this page.
Updated
Scores are heuristics, not safety guarantees. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
All telemetry for Higgins Lake is synchronized directly from authorized federal and state monitoring networks (USGS, NWS, NOAA, and state environmental authorities). Observations are strictly instrumented readings — unmonitored sensors are transparently disclosed rather than synthetic estimates.
Last source audit: Oct 11, 4:10 AM EDT