Bear Lake, Kalkaska County, Michigan

Bear Lake, Michigan
Census-designated place (CDP) & unincorporated community
Looking north along E. Bear Lake Road
Location within Kalkaska County
Bear Lake Location within the state of Michigan Show map of Michigan Bear Lake Bear Lake (the United States) Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 44°43′06″N84°56′55″W / 44.71833°N 84.94861°W / 44.71833; -84.94861
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Kalkaska
Township	Bear Lake
Area [1]
• Total	6.40 sq mi (16.57 km2)
• Land	5.76 sq mi (14.92 km2)
• Water	0.64 sq mi (1.64 km2)
Elevation	1,217 ft (371 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	366
• Density	63.53/sq mi (24.53/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)	49646 (Kalkaska)
Area code	231
FIPS code	26-06430
GNIS feature ID	2583720 [2]

Bear Lake is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Kalkaska County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the CDP had a population of 366. ^[3] Bear Lake is located within Bear Lake Township. ^[4]

History

The community of Bear Lake was listed as a newly-organized census-designated place for the 2010 census, meaning it now has officially defined boundaries and population statistics for the first time. ^[5] The CDP is organized for statistical purposes only and has no legal status as an incorporated municipality.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Bear Lake CDP has an area of 6.42 square miles (16.63 km²), of which 5.76 square miles (14.92 km²) is land and 0.66 square miles (1.71 km²) (10.28%) is water. ^[4]

The community is located in the northwest portion of Bear Lake Township in Kalkaska County. The community's namesake is Bear Lake, and other lakes include the smaller Cub Lake, Mallard Lake, Upper Black Lake, and South Black Lake. M-72 runs east–west through the southern portion of the CDP and connects to Grayling to the east and Kalkaska to the west.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
2020	366		—
U.S. Decennial Census [6]

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 21, 2022.
2. "Bear Lake Census Designated Place". Geographic Names Information System . United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
3. "Bear Lake CDP, Michigan". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 27, 2025.
4. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files - Places: Michigan". U.S. Census Bureau . Retrieved February 25, 2017.
5. "Michigan: 2010 Population and Housing Unit Counts 2010 Census of Population and Housing" (PDF). 2010 United States Census . United States Census Bureau. September 2012. p. 27 Michigan. Retrieved September 8, 2020.
6. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2016.