Little Traverse Lake · Cleveland Township · Leelanau County, MI
Little Traverse Lake homes for sale
Every home for sale on Little Traverse Lake, just south of Good Harbor Bay in Leelanau County, 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.
Little Traverse Lake
Leelanau County · MI
This 3D lake model needs a browser with WebGL. Ask us about Little Traverse Lake frontage and we’ll send you the depth map.
The lake bottom comes from the Michigan DNR lake survey, whose deepest contour is 54 feet. Most of the lake is under 20 feet. Height is exaggerated so the drop offs show. A guide, not a navigation chart.
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Homes for sale on Little Traverse Lake
Every active Little Traverse Lake waterfront listing, homes first, highest price first, then lots. Tap a photo to fly to it on the lake.
$2,495,000
1164 E Traverse Lake Road
MI 49621
4 bd · 4.5 ba · 3,690 sq ft
111 ft of private frontage · Built 2004
Listing courtesy of Coldwell Banker Schmidt-Glen A · MLS #1949185
Ask about this home →$1,100,000
560 E Harbor Highway
Maple City, MI 49664
3 bd · 2.5 ba · 1,418 sq ft
64 ft of private frontage · Built 2024
Listing courtesy of Century 21 Northland · MLS #1951037
Ask about this home →$839,000
540 E Harbor Highway
Maple City, MI 49664
3 bd · 2 ba · 1,301 sq ft
57 ft of private frontage · Built 1975
Listing courtesy of Century 21 Northland · MLS #1951035
Ask about this home →Living on Little Traverse Lake
Little Traverse Lake sits just south of Good Harbor Bay in north central Leelanau County, with M-22 and Traverse Lake Road along its shores.
Little Traverse is a shallow lake for its size. Much of it is under 20 feet, with sand and marl shallows near shore and one deeper hole that reaches about 54 feet, which you can see on the 3D map.
The lake is moderately built up with homes and cottages, but much of the shore is still wooded or wetland, and the water has a natural tea color from the surrounding watershed. The Swanson Preserve keeps about 2,000 feet of shoreline open.
Homes here carry Maple City or Cedar addresses depending on the side of the lake. Frontage is listed as private or shared, and every card above says which one it is.
Size
About 640 acres.
Depth
About 54 feet at the deepest, with an average of about 5 to 10 feet.
Inlet and outlet
Shetland Creek flows in from Lime Lake. Shalda Creek flows out to Lake Michigan at Good Harbor Bay.
Lake association
The Little Traverse Lake Property Owners Association works on water quality and shoreline surveys.
Township
Cleveland Township, Leelanau County, which also takes in Lime Lake and a stretch of Good Harbor Bay.
Township park launch
A Cleveland Township park in the northwest corner with a launch, vault toilet and picnic pavilion.
County launch
A small Leelanau County site on the northeast corner with a sand launch for small boats.
Swanson Preserve
A Leelanau Conservancy preserve between the lake and M-22, with public land along the shore.
Getting on the water
Little Traverse is a good paddling and fishing lake, with plenty of weedy shallows and natural shoreline to explore.
Smallmouth bass and northern pike are the main fish by weight, and the smallmouth grow well above the state average. Rock bass and sunfish are common, and yellow perch and largemouth bass are there too.
Buying on Little Traverse Lake: what to know
Septic inspection at sale
Leelanau County requires a septic inspection at sale or transfer for homes on septic. We get it scheduled early, because the report can change a deal.
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 vary by township, and they change. We check the exact address.
High water
The DNR has noted high spring and fall water tied to the Shalda Creek culvert on Traverse Lake Road, with flooding and septic damage on some low lots. Ask about water history, especially on low ground.
Depth off the dock
Most of the shoreline stays shallow for a long way. Use the 3D map, then look in person.
Buying a lake lot
Before you buy to build, confirm the soils will take a septic system and check the shoreline setback with the township.
Little Traverse Lake questions
How deep is Little Traverse Lake?
About 54 feet at its deepest, from the state’s 1949 mapping, which the DNR’s 2014 report rounds to about 50. Most of the lake is under 20 feet, and the average depth is only about 5 to 10 feet.
How big is Little Traverse Lake?
About 640 acres, per the DNR’s 2014 report. The 1949 survey put it at about 650.
Where does Little Traverse Lake drain?
Shalda Creek flows out of the northwest end, under Traverse Lake Road, and into Lake Michigan at Good Harbor Bay. Shetland Creek comes in near the southeast corner from Lime Lake.
Where is public access on Little Traverse Lake?
A Cleveland Township park in the northwest corner has a launch, vault toilet, picnic pavilion and parking for a handful of trailers. A small Leelanau County site on the northeast corner has a sand launch for small boats and roadside parking.
What fish are in Little Traverse Lake?
In the DNR’s 2013 survey, smallmouth bass and northern pike made up the most weight, and smallmouth were growing well above the state average. Rock bass, pumpkinseed, longear sunfish, yellow perch, bluegill and largemouth bass are there too.
Is there a lake association?
Yes, the Little Traverse Lake Property Owners Association, first founded as the Little Traverse Lake Association. It has worked on shoreline surveys, water quality testing and the Good Harbor Bay watershed plan with the Leelanau Conservancy.
Do Little Traverse Lake homes need a septic inspection to sell?
Yes, if the home is on a septic system. Leelanau County adopted a time of transfer rule in 2022, and since the health code took effect in January 2023 homes on a septic system need an inspection at sale or transfer, done through the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department.
Can I rent out a Little Traverse Lake home short term?
Rules vary by township and can change. Little Traverse Lake is in Cleveland Township, and we check the current ordinance for the exact address before you buy.
Looking on Little Traverse Lake?
Little Traverse Lake homes don’t come up often, and many sell to people who were already watching. We are Traverse City Realtors who work Leelanau County every week. Tell us your budget and what you want on the water, 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.
Lake facts: Michigan DNR Little Traverse Lake fishery report (2014), Wikipedia on Lime Lake, Cleveland Township, Leelanau Ticker on the county septic ordinance. Depth map from Michigan DNR Institute for Fisheries Research lake contours. Imagery: USGS. Elevation: Mapzen / AWS Terrain Tiles.