Lakes Area Driving Tour
Tour Overview
 Michigan has over 11,000 inland lakes and ponds, with 1,400
of them located in the northwest suburbs of Detroit. For many
years, the shorelines of these lakes were populated with small cottages for
those escaping the hustle and bustle of the City on weekends. Today, a number of these lakes are lined
with luxurious homes for the area's elite who enjoy gorgeous views and
year-round water sports activities.
Our Lakes Area Driving Tour guides you around several of the area's most
exclusive lakes. Detroit may be going through some tough times, but you
wouldn't know it based on what you see here.
One of the finest displays of waterfront living anywhere, complete
with winding roads, beautiful golf courses, magnificent homes and estates,
and glistening water views. We like to
call this tour Detroit's equivalent of the Monterrey Peninsula 17-Mile Drive.
OK, maybe not quite as famous, but we think you're going to be
impressed. A fantastic mini-tour
easily completed in an hour or two!
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Tour Map
More Information
Old
Orchard Trail
 The journey begins with a left turn off of Orchard Lake Road onto Pontiac Trail, named after the infamous Indian
chief who led attacks on the British at Fort Detroit in the 1760s.
Note on your right the south edge of Orchard Lake with unique homes nestled into the hillside,
affording their owners secluded views.
One mile down on the right is the turnoff onto Old Orchard Trail, a
winding two-lane road with the lake on one side and lush foliage on the
other. A quarter-mile down, take a
look at the upscale homes to your left and see if you can catch a glimpse
through their back yards. Several of
these fortunate residents have beautiful views of Orchard Lake in the front and walk-outs to Upper Straits Lake in the back.
Further down on the right is the private Orchard Lake Country Club,
established in 1926 by lumber baron Willis Ward. The trail continues along the club's
magnificent 18-hole golf course with picture-perfect panoramas on both sides.
Indian Trail
 Turning east on Commerce road takes you along the
north shore of Orchard Lake. From here
you get the best views of Apple Island in the center of the lake, burial ground of Chief
Pontiac himself according to local legend.
About a mile down or so, take another look to your left at more
well-placed residences with views of Orchard Lake in the front and Cass Lake in the back.
Keep your eyes open for the turnoff onto Indian Trail about 2.5 miles
down on the right. Just after making
the turn you will find the entrance to St. Mary's Preparatory, an
institution founded in 1885 to train Polish-American boys for the
priesthood. Today, St. Mary's is a
prestigious Catholic all-boys school offering college preparatory
education. The school has hosted
high-profile visitors such as Pope John Paul II in 1969 (then known as
Cardinal Karol Jozef Wojtyla) and Polish Solidarity leader Lech Walesa in
2001. Have a quick look around the St.
Mary's campus which includes a chapel, the largest high school library in the
Midwest, and state-of-the-art facilities for its highly
regarded athletics programs.
Continuing south on Indian Trail takes you past spectacular homes with
fantastic sunset views of Orchard Lake.
Pine
Lake Road
 The short Indian Trail ends at Orchard Lake Road. Hanging a
left brings you immediately into view of Pine Lake, Oakland County's most prestigious lake. A little over a half-mile down, keep an eye
out for the turnoff onto Pine Lake Road to the right.
Pine
Lake Road
is another narrow, two-lane road lined with upscale homes boasting wooded
lots and lake access. After a short
drive, the road curves and winds through Pine
Lake Country Club property.
This private club offers members first-class golf, tennis, and beach /
marina privileges. As impressive as
the homes are that you pass during your drive down Pine Lake Road, just past the country club take a look across the
water at the "castles" lining the southeast corner of the
lake.
Club Drive
 The last leg of the tour routes you through northwest
corner of prestigious Bloomfield
Hills, home to some of Detroit's wealthiest and most prominent residents. Make your way down Club Drive past the Forest
Lake Country Club and its Albert Kahn designed clubhouse. At Lone Pine Road, stop for a picture of the awe-inspiring Kirk
in the Hills Presbyterian Church before encircling Lower Long Lake
and Island Lake. If we've
peaked your interest in the history of this area of Metro Detroit, check out
the Greater West Bloomfield Historical
Museum on Long Lake Road. Otherwise, head south on Middlebelt Road to catch glimpses of a few last eye-popping estates
on your left hand side, some of them situated on beautiful Walnut Lake.
Tour Map
Number of Destinations: 4
Overall Tour Time: 1-2 hours
More Information
If you would like more
information on the Lakes Area, please visit the following sites:
Bloomfield Hills, Cranbrook, and
Franklin
City of Orchard Lake
Greater West Bloomfield Historical Society
Oakland County
Oakland
County Boat Launches
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