Lake Michigan · Benzie County, MI
Lake Michigan homes for sale in Benzie County
Every Lake Michigan frontage home and lot for sale in Benzie County, from Platte Bay and Point Betsie through Frankfort and Elberta and south past the Herring Lakes, pulled from the MLS each week, with a 3D map of the lake floor offshore.
Listings updated October 8, 2026. Prices and status can change between updates, so ask us before you fall for one.
Lake Michigan in Benzie County
Benzie County · Lake Michigan
This 3D lake model needs a browser with WebGL. Ask us about Lake Michigan in Benzie County frontage and we’ll send you the depth map.
The lake floor comes from NOAA Great Lakes bathymetry, with the height exaggerated so the drop offs show. Benzie County has about 25 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, and the 279 foot average depth is for all of Lake Michigan. A guide, not a navigation chart.
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Lake Michigan homes and lots for sale in Benzie County
Every active Lake Michigan frontage listing in Benzie County, including Frankfort, Elberta and the shore toward Arcadia, homes first, highest price first, then lots. Tap a photo to fly to it on the map.
$2,900,000
1912 S Scenic
Frankfort, MI 49635
3 bd · 2,592 sq ft
Built 1914
Listing courtesy of Dwelling Realty - KW Northern Michigan · MLS #1164615
Ask about this home →$2,800,000
1882 Greenwood Landing
Frankfort, MI 49635
4 bd · 3 ba · 5,235 sq ft
213 ft of private frontage · Built 1978
Listing courtesy of Real Estate One · MLS #1949883
Ask about this home →$1,500,000
3312 Old State Road
Frankfort, MI 49635
6 bd · 3 ba · 3,244 sq ft
166 ft of private frontage · Built 1977
Listing courtesy of Schaub Team Premier Realty · MLS #1941185
Ask about this home →$1,075,000
0 Sylvan Road
Frankfort, MI 49635
Vacant lot · 1.32 acres
150 ft of private frontage
Listing courtesy of Century 21 Northland-Frankfort · MLS #1945189
Ask about this lot →Living on Lake Michigan in Benzie County
Benzie County’s western edge is about 25 miles of Lake Michigan shore, facing west over open water.
The north end wraps around Platte Bay inside Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. South of the park, Point Betsie Lighthouse marks the south end of the Manitou Passage, and Frankfort and Elberta sit on either side of the harbor where the Betsie River reaches the lake. Below Elberta, the shore runs past the Herring Lakes toward Arcadia and the Manistee County line.
Most private frontage is south of the National Lakeshore, from Point Betsie down. It ranges from tall bluffs with long stairs to low sandy lots near town.
Every card above says what kind of frontage it has.
Shoreline
About 25 miles of Lake Michigan shore in the county.
Depth
Lake Michigan averages 279 feet deep. The deepest water on our map, about 630 feet, is northwest of Frankfort.
Point Betsie
A lighthouse first lit in 1858, about five miles north of Frankfort, and the last manned lighthouse on the Great Lakes until it was automated in 1983.
Frankfort harbor
Improved by the federal government starting in 1867, with breakwaters built from 1929 to 1932.
Sunsets
The whole shore faces west over open water.
Frankfort and Elberta beaches
Public beaches on both sides of the harbor, with miles of quiet beach to walk south of Elberta.
Point Betsie
The lighthouse beach north of Frankfort, a long standing sunset tradition.
Platte River Point
A wide, sandy National Lakeshore beach where the Platte River meets Platte Bay, with parking and restrooms in season.
Esch Road and Peterson Road
Quieter National Lakeshore beaches, with bluff views at Peterson Road.
Getting on the water
Frankfort is the harbor on this stretch. Seven marinas line Betsie Bay with more than 400 slips, and the piers open straight onto Lake Michigan.
This is open Great Lakes water. West winds build real waves, and boating plans depend on the forecast. The Betsie and Platte rivers are known for salmon and steelhead in season.
Buying on Lake Michigan in Benzie County: what to know
Well and septic at sale
Benzie County requires a well and septic evaluation through the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department before a property with onsite systems changes hands. We get it scheduled early.
Critical dunes and erosion areas
Benzie County has critical dune areas, and EGLE maps high risk erosion areas in Frankfort, Elberta and several townships. Building or adding on there needs a permit and may carry setbacks.
Next to the National Lakeshore
Lots near Platte Bay can border park land. Check the boundary on the survey.
Bluff, low bank or dune
A bluff gives you the view and a low bank gives you the easy walk to the water. Count the stairs, look at the slope and ask how the stairs held up at high water.
Water levels
Lake Michigan went from a record low in 2013 to record highs in 2020. Picture the beach, stairs and setbacks at both.
Wind and ice
West facing shore takes the full force of storms and winter ice. Ask about shoreline protection, stair repairs and insurance before you write an offer.
Lake Michigan in Benzie County questions
How much Lake Michigan shoreline is in Benzie County?
About 25 miles, running from Platte Bay at the north end of the county south past Point Betsie, Frankfort and Elberta to the Manistee County line.
Is the Benzie shore part of Sleeping Bear Dunes?
The north end is. The National Lakeshore covers Platte Bay, including Platte River Point, Esch Road Beach at the mouth of Otter Creek and Peterson Road Beach at its south end. South of the park, around Point Betsie, Frankfort and Elberta and down toward the Herring Lakes, is where most private frontage sits.
How deep is Lake Michigan off Benzie County?
Lake Michigan averages 279 feet deep and reaches about 925 feet at its deepest, according to the EPA. On our map, the deepest water is about 630 feet, out in the open lake northwest of Frankfort.
How much does the water level change?
A lot over the years. Lake Michigan and Lake Huron hit a record low in January 2013, then rose about 5.5 feet in seven years and set monthly record highs in 2020. Beaches, bluffs and stairs can look very different at high and low water.
Where are the public beaches?
Frankfort and Elberta both have public beaches by the harbor, and from Elberta’s beach you can walk south for miles. Point Betsie Lighthouse, about five miles north of Frankfort, is a favorite sunset spot, and Platte River Point has a big sandy beach in the National Lakeshore.
Do I need a permit to build near the Lake Michigan shore?
Often, yes. Benzie County has state designated critical dune areas, and EGLE maps high risk erosion areas in Frankfort, Elberta and several Benzie townships. Building, adding on or regrading in those areas needs a permit, and erosion areas carry required setbacks.
Do Benzie waterfront homes need a well and septic inspection to sell?
Yes. The Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department requires properties in Benzie County with an onsite well or septic system to be evaluated before the property is sold or transferred. We get it scheduled early so it does not hold up closing.
Looking on Lake Michigan in Benzie County?
Benzie County has only about 25 miles of Lake Michigan shore, and the National Lakeshore holds the Platte Bay end of it, so private frontage does not come up often. We are Traverse City Realtors who sell in Benzie County too. Tell us your budget and what kind of frontage you want, and we will send you new 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.
Shore facts: Benzie County fun facts (Traverse City Tourism), Sleeping Bear Dunes park statistics (NPS), Platte River Point Beach (NPS), Point Betsie Light on Wikipedia, Frankfort on Wikipedia, Frankfort on Wikivoyage, EPA physical features of the Great Lakes, LEVELnews, March 2020 (Environment and Climate Change Canada), EGLE critical dune areas, EGLE high risk erosion area maps, Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department time of transfer. Depth map from NOAA NCEI Great Lakes bathymetry. Imagery: USGS. Elevation: Mapzen / AWS Terrain Tiles.