For Mitchell to be successful, he had to convince the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad to change the destination of their railroad from Petoskey and Charlevoix to within a few miles of Little Clam Lake. Then, he had to dredge Black Creek, an easterly flowing waterway connecting the two lakes, to move lumber from the Big Clam Lake area to his lumber mills. His efforts failed, and the following year, he constructed the canal a few hundred feet south of Black Creek. Mitchell originally built the man-made quarter-mile Clam Lake Canal, connecting Big Clam Lake and Little Clam Lake, to transfer logs between Little Clam Lake, now Lake Cadillac, and Big Clam Lake, now Lake Mitchell.

In 1903, officials changed all three names. Clam Lake Canal is a picturesque spot that tourists and locals alike have always enjoyed, but it has been shrouded in a bit of mystery that many notice during winter. While the canal is still a tourist stop today, many have fun with it because of a mysterious winter occurrence. The lakes will freeze, and the channel will be open. Or the canal will be frozen, and the lakes won’t—but the channel never freezes simultaneously. 

The logical explanation for the unusual occurrence is that the rapid water flow is the reason for the mysterious canal freezing while the lakes display open water. Shallow water freezes faster than deeper water, so the shoreline and waters freeze first. When the lakes freeze over, the canal opens for the remainder of winter, probably due to the swift current over its three- or four-foot depth.

Several decades ago, Robert Ripley’s Believe It or Not! published the mystery of the Clam Lake Canal. Locals and visitors still discuss the phenomenon today.

What

A man-made canal connecting Lake Mitchell and Lake Cadillac

Where

Mitchell State Park, 2506 North Blvd., Cadillac, Michigan

Cost

Mitchell State Park requires a State of Michigan Recreation Passport. Residents pay $13 annually, and nonresidents pay $11 for a day pass or $39 annually.

Piper’s Pro Planning

Starting at the Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center within the state park, you’ll find a 2.5-mile hiking loop that passes a lookout tower and fishing pier.