The top 38 dive and snorkel sites in Michigan, ranked by diver reviews, with maps and photos. Read the Michigan guide
We have a fantastic shore current dive in the St. Clair River. The river connects Lake Huron to Lake St. Clair and ultimately Lake Erie. BONUS….Several shipwrecks are in the river and various artifacts can still be found. During Prohibition the river provided rum runners a means of transporting alcohol between Canada and the US. Bottles are still found to this day. It's a dive that will appeal to many divers.
Various Marine Life, Old Schooner at 40' depth, Grassy area offers great exploring and includes great marine life viewing along rock jetty. Specific Directions/Briefing can be obtained at Scuba North (231-947-2520) Located at Elmwood Park in West Grand Traverse Bay, M22 north from M72 intersection. North of Old Coal Dock and South of Harbor West. Go west from Traverse City on M-22 (towards the Leelenau Penisula). Enter Elmwood Township park. Enter from the shore at the north end of the beach by the jetty. Swim along the jetty until the bottom drops off to 25'-30'. Swim south following the contour of the drop off (about 250'). You should run into the wreck.
Higgins Lake, Higgins Lake is a 4.5-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Michigan, USA Mid which is accessible from shore based on 2 ratings.
Spring Mill Pond has a public beach with changing and bathrooms. A good place for an afterwork dive or if you have limited time on the weekend. There are also hiking and biking trails. One training platform and few thing to find (toilet, paddle boat, etc). Have seen several large trout and is know to have freshwater jelly fish. ~20 miles North of Ann Arbor
Gull Lake, Battle Creek is a 4.333333333333333-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Michigan, USA Mid which is accessible from shore based on 3 ratings.
Lake 16, Martin is a 4.0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Michigan, USA Mid which is accessible from shore based on 3 ratings.
113 square mile preserve, 100ft depth, 55DegF, 30ft viz; rock bass; Has the Murray Bay wreck and a 71ft tugboat. See www.algercounty.com or www.munising.org Take I-75 to the upper peninsula, the go west on Hiway 28 to Munising, on Lake Superior.
The Blue water bridge is a nice drift dive, a couple of wrecks. St. Clair river, Marine City, Michigan. There is a parking lot just south of Anita's tavern off of the main drag. Anita's Wreck is also known as Blue water bridge.
Higgins lake, Michigan. ~190 miles North-North West of Ann Arbor. Dive site is located on the north west shore, at the boat launch.
Schooner Barge 148' long Lost 1891 Built 1863 Marine City Michigan Has a great Ships Wheel Sits uprite Bow damage from collision but the rest is intact. Penitration is possible. The site is buoyed each year by Straits of Mackinac Shipwreck Preserve.
Wooden Steamer Vienna 191'4" 33'8" x 14'1" Launched in 1873 Cleveland Ohio. Cargo of iron ore. Collided with steamer Nipigon September 17, 1892. Ship sank while being towed back to shore. No lives lost. Wreck is intact with penetration possible. There is a lifeboat still on her deck. Site is bouyed each year. White Fish Point, Lake Superior Access by boat. 1.6 miles west south west of Whitefish Point Michigan
Built in 1873 in Detroit MI, the wood steamer, William H. Barnum, plied the Great Lakes for more than 20 years before reaching her demise. She was under the command of the 29 year old Capt. William Smith, on his first voyage as master of the Barnum when she sank. The Barnum left Chicago harbor on April fools day 1894 loaded with corn for Port Huron. The Barnum left Chicago harbor along with 18 others ships, including the steamer Minneapolis, which sank the day before the Barnum. The heavy weather and grinding ice in the Straits proved to be to much for the Barnum and she started taking on water. The tug Crusader came to her rescue and tried to pull her into shallow water, but her efforts were also halted by the ice. The Crusader took the crew of the Barnum and they watched her vanish beneath the ice and waves on the morning of April 3, 1894. No lives were lost. The William Barnum now lies upright and mostly intact in 74' of water five and a half miles east of the bridge in Lake Huron. She is moored on top of her single cylinder engine. Most of the decks have fall in, but are still intact in at the bow, offering penetration opportunities. The boilers are also an impressive site. The stern transom has broken up, as a result of her rudder being removed in 1969, before the laws of the Preserve protected her. Her propeller is still visible to the observant diver. The rudder can be seen in St. Igance between the ACE hardware and the city marina. William Barnum is also known as William H Barnum.
Visibility on the Ironsides can vary from a few feet to 50 feet or better. This wreck does get a fair amount of fishing line and lures, be sure to carry safety sheers or knife. Site is located 4 miles offshore from Grand Haven Pier. The nearest boat ramp is 15 minutes up river from the pier.
The barge is upside down and on top of the crane. Great dive. Sadie Thompson was a Barge that broke it's mooring at White Fish Marina and capsized with the dredge crane on it.
Myron wreck is a 186' wooden steamer wreck. 19 men died when she went down in a storm Nov 22 1919. Built in Grand Haven MI in 1888. Two great clusters of anchor chain remain along with the boiler and some great tools. "Leave the tools for the next divers please!" No Zebra mussels!
Wooden Steamer sank in collision. Boiler in and stern very interesting. Depending on current sometimes visibility can be a problem from the milky water from Picture Rocks.
Two Masted Schooner in good shape. Good example of two masted schooner. You can get below deck. Murray Bay
Wreck has all kinds of tools. Leave them there!! Bark perhaps? Broken up.
talk to life guard it is ok to dive off the left side of beach out side of swim area. Not a lot to see but a few fish and lots of sand. recommend using a 5 mill or more wet suit its cold.
Marquette Upper Harbor is a 0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in USA, Michigan which is accessible from shore based on 0 ratings.
Based on Zentacle reviews, the top-rated sites in Michigan are St. Clair River (4.6 from 8 reviews), Elmwood Wreck (5.0 from 1 review) and Higgins Lake, Higgins Lake (4.5 from 2 reviews).
The top-rated beginner sites are Elmwood Wreck (5.0 from 1 review) and Spring Mill Pond (4.5 from 2 reviews).
St. Clair River, Elmwood Wreck, Higgins Lake, Higgins Lake and Spring Mill Pond are the top-rated sites you can enter from shore.
Zentacle lists 16 dive shops in Michigan. The top-rated are Huron Scuba, Snorkel and Adventure Travel, Inc. (5.0 from 100 reviews) and Motor City Scuba and Snorkel (5.0 from 57 reviews).
