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Another significant distinction Lake Huron possesses is its connection to the Georgian Bay, which explorers first thought was a sixth Great Lake. Its size and Manitoulin Island made it seem like a separate body of water, and the this part of Huron is one of its most popular areas with Georgian Bay cruises. Lake Huron is the 4th lake in the sequence of water flow: water travels from Lake Superior to Lake Michigan, through Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and finally to Lake Ontario. Lake Huron and Lake Michigan are often described as “two lobes of the same lake” since hydrologically speaking, they’re the same body of water. Lake Huron’s primary inflows are the Strait of Mackinac and St. Mary’s River. Its primary outflow is mainly St. Clair River.
Lake Huron is home to the largest freshwater island in the world; Manitoulin Island. This island, together with a few more thousand, separates the North Channel and Georgian Bay from Lake Huron’s main body of water. Besides the Georgian Bay, other relevant bays in this region include Thunder Bay and Saginaw Bay. Manitoulin Island is a popular port of call when cruising the Great Lakes.
To explore more of the Great Lakes, from their histories to their myths and mysteries, visit our hand-curated Great Lakes Cruise Library.
French Explorers discovered “La Mer Douce” (translates to freshwater sea), how they first called Lake Huron. Other maps refer to Lake Huron as “Karegnondi,” a Wyandot word for freshwater sea or “Lake of the Hurons.”
In 1913, a big storm hit Lake Huron and its surroundings; it was called “The Big Blow.” The storm lasted for 16 hours and propelled 90 miles-per-hour winds which created 35 ft-tall waves killing 235 seamen and sinking 10 ships. The area experienced major damages by the storm, making The Big Blow one of the most memorable events in the history of Lake Huron. Lake Huron was also affected by the Lake Huron Cyclone back in 1996. This cyclone reached high wind speeds and an 18-mile wide cyclone eye which resembled a tropical hurricane.
| Elevation | 578 ft | Avg Depth | 195 ft | Length of Shoreline | 3,827 mi |
| Surface Area | 23,000 mi² | Max Depth | 750 ft | Avg Surface Temp | 46º F |
| Drainage Area | 51,700 mi² | Length (N-S) | 183 mi | Retention Time | 22 years |
| Volume of Water | 850 mi³ | Length (E-W) | 206 mi | Avg Outflow | 186,000 ft³/s |
| Elevation | 176 m | Avg Depth | 59 m | Length of Shoreline | 6,157 km |
| Surface Area | 59,600 km² | Max Depth | 229 m | Avg Surface Temp | 8º C |
| Drainage Area | 134,100 km² | Length (N-S) | 295 km | Retention Time | 22 years |
| Volume of Water | 3,540 km³ | Length (E-W) | 332 km | Avg Outflow | 5,267 m³/s |
Read more on the “Physical Features of the Great Lakes” from the EPA .
Some of Lake Huron’s native species include lake trout (extirpated by sea lampreys and overfishing), deepwater ciscoes (bloater is the only kind that remains in the lake), and sculpins. Some invasive species include sea lampreys, alewife, rainbow smelt, zebra mussels, quagga mussels. The authorities introduced the Pacific Salmon and more Lake Trout in an attempt to get rid of invasive species and balance the lake’s ecosystem.
Fishing, lumbering, commercial traffic, and tourism are the strongest economic activities that take place in the Lake Huron region. The heavy commercial ship traffic mostly consists of iron ore, grain, and limestone transportation through the St. Lawrence Seaway. There’s also plenty of local trading in the lake’s harbors.
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