Which U.S. state has the longest freshwater shoreline?
Quick answer
Michigan has the longest freshwater shoreline of any U.S. state, about 3,288 miles (5,292 km) along the Great Lakes. It touches four of the five Great Lakes: Superior, Michigan, Huron and Erie. It’s often described as the longest freshwater coastline of any state or province in the world.
Why Michigan has so much shoreline
Michigan is made of two peninsulas almost surrounded by water:
| Peninsula | Bordering lakes |
|---|---|
| Lower Peninsula (the “mitten”) | Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie |
| Upper Peninsula | Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron |
The two are linked by the Mackinac Bridge, about 8 km long, across the Straits of Mackinac. Only Lake Ontario doesn’t touch Michigan.
Water, water everywhere
- Anywhere in Michigan, you’re no more than about 85 miles (137 km) from a Great Lake.
- The state has more than 11,000 inland lakes.
- Its nickname is the Great Lakes State.
- Sleeping Bear Dunes has sand dunes rising about 140 m above Lake Michigan.
Longest total coastline
If you count ocean coastline too, Alaska has by far the longest shoreline of any state, more than all other states combined.
| Record | State |
|---|---|
| Longest freshwater shoreline | Michigan |
| Longest coastline overall | Alaska |
| Longest coastline in the lower 48 | Florida |
For the world’s champion, see which country has the longest coastline.
The Great Lakes
Together, the five Great Lakes hold about 21% of the world’s fresh surface water. Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake by area; see the largest freshwater lake in the world.
Michigan’s famous city
Michigan’s largest city, Detroit, is famous for cars; see which city is the Motor City.
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