Betsie River Explained

Length:54miles
Pushpin Map:Michigan
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of mouth
Mouth Location:Lake Michigan at Frankfort
Betsie River
Source1 Location:Green Lake near Interlochen
Source1 Coordinates:44.5919°N -85.7945°W
Mouth Coordinates:44.6292°N -86.2459°W

The Betsie River () is a 54adj=midNaNadj=mid[1] river in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is located in the northwestern Lower Peninsula of the state, flowing into Lake Michigan at Frankfort. The river's course is mostly within Benzie County, (which takes its name from a variant pronunciation of the river), although the river rises in western Grand Traverse County and flows briefly through northern Manistee County.

The river widens to form Betsie Lake before emptying into Lake Michigan between Frankfort and Elberta. The Betsie River is a part of Michigan's Natural Rivers Program.[2]

Etymology

The name is derived from the French French: la rivière aux Bec-scies, meaning river of sawbill ducks (bec-scie). A corruption of this pronunciation led to the name of Benzie County. Other alternate historical names include the following:

Course

While most sources indicate the river rises as the outflow of Green Lake in southwestern Grand Traverse County, some consider it navigable immediately south of US-31 from Tullers Lake into Green Lake. Another tributary of the river flows directly out of northern Duck Lake and into northern Green Lake, connecting with the aforementioned Tullers Lake Outlet. Although not considered part of the Betsie River today, older maps of the area do say so.[3] Green Lake straddles the boundary between Grant Township on the south and Green Lake Township on the north between Karlin and Interlochen. Several nearby lakes, including Duck Lake and its tributaries, drain into Green Lake.

The river winds southwesterly from Green Lake into eastern Benzie County, and then briefly into northern Manistee County before turning northerly back into Benzie County. A dam on the river forms Homestead Pond, after which is flows mostly west and slightly north to Lake Michigan.

Drainage basin

The Betsie River drains an area of approximately 155026acres in three counties. The drainage basin include about 93miles of linear stream, 52miles of which is part of the mainstream.

Dams

Bridges

Below is a list of public crossings of the Betsie River:

RouteTypeMunicipalityCountyLocation
(Frankfort Avenue)State highwayBenzonia TownshipBenzie44.6203°N -86.2217°W
Betsie Valley Trailway (west)Paved trail44.6192°N -86.2204°W
River Road (west)County roadCrystal Lake Township44.6183°N -86.1678°W
River Road (east)County roadBenzonia Township44.6181°N -86.1233°W
Grace RoadCounty road44.6044°N -86.1123°W
US 31/M-115 (Benzie Highway)State highway44.6006°N -86.1233°W
(west)State highwayWeldon Township44.5573°N -86.0534°W
County Line RoadCounty roadWeldon/Springdale township Benzie/Manistee line44.5144°N -86.0446°W
Psutka RoadCounty roadSpringdale TownshipManistee44.4962°N -86.0299°W
Kurick RoadCounty road44.5015°N -85.9792°W
(east)State highway44.5075°N -85.9684°W
Lindy RoadCounty roadWeldon TownshipBenzie44.5205°N -85.9615°W
Wolf RoadCounty road44.5286°N -85.9488°W
Betsie Valley Trailway (east)Paved trail44.5302°N -85.9477°W
King RoadCounty road44.5423°N -85.9425°W
South Thompsonville HighwayCounty roadColfax Township44.6298°N -85.938°W
South Carmean RoadCounty road44.5554°N -85.9183°W
Wallin RoadCounty road44.5705°N -85.8931°W
Nostwick RoadCounty road44.5732°N -85.888°W
South Reynolds RoadCounty road44.5747°N -85.8778°W
Betsie River RoadCounty roadGrant TownshipGrand Traverse44.593°N -85.7967°W
Diamond Park RoadCounty roadGreen Lake Township44.6332°N -85.782°W
J. Maddy ParkwayCounty road44.6414°N -85.7673°W
Birch RoadCounty road44.654°N -85.7513°W
State highway44.6586°N -85.7499°W

Tributaries

External links

Notes and References

  1. U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline data. The National Map, accessed November 21, 2011
  2. http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-30301_31431_31442-95764--,00.html Betsie River
  3. Web site: Blair - Left, Atlas: Grand Traverse County 1881, Michigan Historical Map. LLC. Historic Map Works. www.historicmapworks.com. 2019-08-12.
  4. http://www.michigandnr.com/PUBLICATIONS/PDFS/ifr/ifrlibra/status/waterbody/2004-3Betsie.pdf Betsi River
  5. http://www.hanmers.com/canoetrips.html The Betsie River
  6. http://www.michigan.gov/documents/Betsie_River_Plan_23126_7.pdf Betsie River Natural River Plan