Arbutus Lake · East Bay Township · Traverse City, MI
Arbutus Lake homes for sale
Every lakefront home for sale on Arbutus Lake southeast of Traverse City, pulled from the MLS each week, plus a 3D map of the lake bottom so you can see the water off each shoreline.
Listings updated October 5, 2026. Prices and status can change between updates, so ask us before you fall for one.
Arbutus Lake
Grand Traverse County · MI
This 3D lake model needs a browser with WebGL. Ask us about Arbutus Lake frontage and we’ll send you the depth map.
The lake bottom comes from the Michigan DNR lake survey, whose deepest contour is 44 feet. Height is exaggerated so the drop offs and the narrows between basins show. A guide, not a navigation chart.
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Homes for sale on Arbutus Lake
Every active Arbutus Lake waterfront listing, homes first, highest price first, then lots. Tap a photo to fly to that home on the lake.
$897,500
1877 Pinehurst Trail
Traverse City, MI 49696
2 bd · 2.5 ba · 1,675 sq ft
120 ft of private frontage · Built 1998
Listing courtesy of Coldwell Banker Schmidt Traverse City · MLS #1947694
Ask about this home →$349,000
2268 Pinehurst Trail
Traverse City, MI 49696
2 bd · 1 ba · 625 sq ft
300 ft of shared frontage · Built 1965
Listing courtesy of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices · MLS #1944529
Ask about this home →$325,000
2341 Lake View Avenue
Traverse City, MI 49696
3 bd · 1 ba · 760 sq ft
309 ft of shared frontage · Built 1970
Listing courtesy of Traverse Real Estate · MLS #1947411
Ask about this home →$299,900
2315 Barbeau Drive
Traverse City, MI 49696
2 bd · 1 ba · 625 sq ft
300 ft of shared frontage · Built 1970
Listing courtesy of @properties Christie's International · MLS #1950578
Ask about this home →Living on Arbutus Lake
Arbutus Lake is a chain of five small basins in East Bay Township, a short drive southeast of Traverse City.
The basins are numbered from south to north, and they are commonly called by number: Arbutus No. 1, No. 2 and so on. The shoreline pinches in between them, so each one feels almost like its own small lake, and together they wind for nearly three miles.
The lake reaches about 44 feet, with shallow narrows between the basins that you can see on the 3D map. The land around it is high and wooded, and state land borders parts of the shore.
Arbutus Lake real estate runs from older cottages to year round homes, close enough to Traverse City to be part of everyday life in town. Frontage is listed as private or shared, and every card above says which one it is.
Size
About 395 acres in five connected basins, nearly three miles from end to end.
Depth
About 44 feet at the deepest, with shallow narrows between basins.
Watershed
In the Boardman River watershed with Spider and Rennie lakes, but landlocked, with no direct river connection.
Turtle Cove
The Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy protects about 117 acres on the west side, including more than three quarters of a mile of undeveloped shoreline.
Lake association
The Arbutus Lake Association backed the effort to protect Turtle Cove as a nature preserve.
DNR boat ramp
A public Michigan DNR ramp near the north end of the lake.
State forest campground
The Arbutus Lake State Forest Campground sits on the lake, first come, first served.
Turtle Cove Nature Preserve
A 1.7 mile trail loop through marsh, forest and white pines. The conservancy asks that it not be used for lake access.
Getting on the water
Arbutus Lake is a smaller lake, so it suits kayaks, pontoons and fishing boats, and the winding basins give you a lot of shoreline to explore.
Fishing is warm water: bass, bluegill and perch. The lake has a long reputation for big bluegills.
Buying on Arbutus Lake: what to know
Septic inspection at sale
Since 2026 Grand Traverse County requires a well and septic evaluation at sale for homes within 300 feet of the water. The seller arranges it before closing, and the report can change a deal, so we read it early.
Private or shared frontage
Shared frontage usually means an association lot and dock rules. Ask for the association documents before you write an offer.
Short term rentals
Rules can change. We check the current East Bay Township ordinance for the exact address before you buy.
Which basin
Each basin has its own feel, and the narrows decide how far your boat can go. Look at where a home sits before you fall for it.
Depth off the dock
Some shorelines drop off fast and some stay shallow for a long way. Use the 3D map, then look in person.
Close to town
Arbutus Lake is in East Bay Township, so you get a quiet inland lake with Traverse City a short drive away. Taxes and services follow the township.
Arbutus Lake questions
How deep is Arbutus Lake?
About 44 feet at its deepest, based on the DNR lake survey. The narrows between the basins are shallow.
How big is Arbutus Lake?
About 395 acres. It is really five basins, known as Arbutus Lake No. 1 through No. 5 from south to north, that together make a long, winding lake nearly three miles end to end.
Can you boat between the Arbutus Lake basins?
The basins are joined by narrow, shallow channels. The DNR’s original survey found the connections were deeper than five feet only between No. 2 and No. 3, so check the route with the size of boat you plan to run.
Is Arbutus Lake connected to other lakes?
No. It sits in the Boardman River watershed with Spider Lake and Rennie Lake, but the DNR describes it as landlocked, with no direct connection to the river.
Where is public access on Arbutus Lake?
The Michigan DNR has a boat ramp near the north end, and the Arbutus Lake State Forest Campground sits on the lake as well. On the west side, the Turtle Cove Nature Preserve has a 1.7 mile trail loop.
What fish are in Arbutus Lake?
Bass, bluegill and perch, according to the DNR’s original survey. The lake has long been known for large bluegills.
Do Arbutus Lake homes need a septic inspection to sell?
Yes, in most cases. Since January 1, 2026 Grand Traverse County requires a time of transfer evaluation for homes within 300 feet of a lake or stream that have a well or septic system. The seller arranges it before closing.
Looking on Arbutus Lake?
Arbutus Lake homes do not come up often, and they sell to people who are ready. We are Traverse City Realtors who work East Bay Township and the lakes south of town every week. Tell us your budget and which basin you like, and we will send you new Arbutus Lake listings as soon as they hit the MLS.
More lakes near Traverse City
Listing information comes from Northern Great Lakes REALTORS® MLS and is refreshed weekly. Homes listed by other brokerages are shown with the listing office’s name. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed and should be verified. Janel Brown and Taylor Brown, Real Estate One, Traverse City.
Lake facts: Michigan DNR fisheries survey of Arbutus Lake, Arbutus Lake, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy: Turtle Cove, The Ticker, Traverse City Record-Eagle, Arbutus Lake access site, Arbutus Lake State Forest Campground, Grand Traverse County time of transfer. Depth map from Michigan DNR Institute for Fisheries Research lake contours. Imagery: USGS. Elevation: Mapzen / AWS Terrain Tiles.