A great place to use as a base is the Chain of Lakes Campground near Bellaire.  You can explore all of these natural areas from there.

Chain of Lakes sign

The lakes are both large and small, famous and little known.  Torch Lake is 18,000+ acres while Beals Lake is just 40+ acres.

You can canoe or kayak for hours through the chain of lakes.

 

Antrim Chain of Lakes

The Antrim Chain of Lakes is a complex of fourteen lakes, interconnecting rivers and over 200 tributaries.  This area is a watershed covering more than 500 acres emptying into Grand Traverse Bay through the Elk River. 

swan on lake

The "chain" formed by Intermediate Lake north and around back south to Beals Lake actually creates a peninsula with Ellsworth at the northern tip.