These Are the Largest Rivers in Michigan – Spoiler Alert They’re Almost All in West Michigan

When you think of Michigan's rivers, the ones that come to mind may very well be based on where you live. But which are the largest?

In West Michigan, you may think of the Grand River, the Muskegon River or the Manistee. In Eastern Michigan is would certainly be the Detroit River (psst...it's a strait) St Clair River or River Rogue. In Northern Michigan, you may think of the St Mary's River the Menominiee or maybe even the Two-Hearted.

The Largest Rivers in Michigan

But which are the largest in the state? Notice we're talking here about the largest, not longest. Largest as measured by maximum base flow in cubic feet per second.

The map of the largest rivers was shared to the I Grew Up in Michigan Facebook group.

The largest is the Grand River and a very close second is, surprisingly the St Joseph which flows from Hillsdale County into Indiana passing through Elkhart and South Bend until reentering Michigan and meeting Lake Michigan at St Joe/Benton Harbor.

This graphic does a really good job, via the fatness of the rivers showing the largess of the Grand and the St Joseph.

After the Grand and St Joe, comes the Saginaw. The Saginaw River, which short, collect several rivers like the Flint, Cass, Chippewa and Tittabawasee and outflows to Saginaw Bay.

The largest River in the Upper Peninsula is the Menominee which runs along a portion of the Michigan and Wisconsin border.

Other West Michigan rivers making the list of the state's largest are the Muskegon, Kalamazoo and Manistee.

Many who commented on the image on Facebook, no doubt east-siders wondered by the Detroit River didn't make the list. But that river, though it's an essential part of the entire Great Lakes system, just doesn't carry the same amount of flow as other rivers in the state.

You may need one of the state's rivers to wash off if you encounter bed bugs - here are the most infested places around America including Michigan.