Backus Township, Michigan

Roscommon County ( RAHS-comm-ən) is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 census, the population was 23,459. The county seat is Roscommon. The county was founded in 1840 and organized in 1875.

Backus Creek State Game Area is a state game area within Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It incorporates 4,379 acres (17.72 km2) of hunting, recreational, and protected wildlife and wetland areas of rural Backus Township and Higgins Township. Backus Creek State Game Area is administered by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (MDNR).

Prudenville is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,643 at the 2020 census. Prudenville is located within Denton Township.

Denton Township is a civil township of Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,293 at the 2020 census.

Roscommon County–Blodgett Memorial Airport (IATA: HTL, ICAO: KHTL, FAA LID: HTL) is a county-owned public-use airport located five miles (8 km) northeast of the central business district of Houghton Lake, an unincorporated community in Roscommon County, Michigan, United States. It is included in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021, in which it is categorized as a local general aviation facility.It was known as Roscommon County Airport until 2005, when it was named to honor Terry Blodgett, the airport's manager from 1987 until his death in 2004, and his father Francis Blodgett, airport manager from 1959 to 1981.The airport is home to a chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association, which hosts regular events such as Easter Egg Drops and fly-in breakfasts with model planes, the opportunity to interact with personal planes, and free flights. The airport is also home to regular veteran's appreciation events, where veterans are welcome to enjoy warm drinks and refreshments.

Lake St. Helen is a 2,400-acre (9.7 km2) public lake located in Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan, and borders on the community of St. Helen, Michigan. It is the headwaters for the south branch of the Au Sable River. From 1998 to 2003, the Lake was subject to a water weed (millfoil) eradication project, involving weevil restocking, which was successful at the time. Fishing is available throughout the lake, albeit different fish are found in different places, and includes: Largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, perch, pike, and walleye. A Bluegill Festival is held each summer.The lake is located at 44°21′51″N 84°27′48″W and the elevation is 1,155 feet (352 m).

The Cut is a small river located entirely within Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river begins at Higgins Lake and meanders to Houghton Lake at a length of approximately 10 miles (16 km). It also passes through the small Marl Lake within South Higgins Lake State Park near its source.

Markey Township is a civil township of Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 2,401 at the 2020 census. The township was created from Gerrish Township on April 21, 1887.

Roscommon Township is a civil township of Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 4,397 at the 2020 census. The village of Roscommon is located to the northeast in Higgins Township.

Richfield Township is a civil township of Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,545 at the 2020 census.

Houghton Lake is a lake in Roscommon County, Michigan. The unincorporated community of Prudenville is at the southeastern end of the lake, while the unincorporated communities of Houghton Lake and Houghton Lake Heights are on the southwest and west shores. It is the largest inland lake in the state of Michigan, and one of the largest natural inland lakes in the United States (many man-made impoundments are much larger). The lake is approximately 10 miles (16 km) north to south, and about 5+1⁄2 miles (8.9 km) at it widest point. Houghton Lake has c. 30 miles (48 km) of total shoreline and its waters cover 20,044 acres (81.12 km2). It is an extremely popular resort and fishing area year round. Houghton Lake is the site of Tip-Up-Town USA, a large ice fishing and winter sports festival with several events on the frozen waters of the lake itself. Houghton Lake is named after the first state geologist, Douglass Houghton who explored the area. Houghton County, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is also named after Douglass Houghton. The name of the lake is pronounced by Michigan citizens as "HOTE'n" (/ˈhoʊʔn̩/). The lake receives the waters of spring-fed Higgins Lake through the Cut River and, in turn, is the headwaters for the Muskegon River, which flows out of the North Bay in the northwest corner of the lake. The lake is partially within four townships: Markey Township on the northeast, Denton Township on the southeast, Roscommon Township on the southwest, and Lake Township on the northwest. The lake is mid to late mesotrophic in profile, and is considered to be a warm water, shallow lake, with the average depth being 7½ feet. The deepest spot is a small hole in East Bay that has been sounded to 22 feet (6.7 m), but it is rare to encounter depths of greater than 17 feet (5.2 m) in the lake. The lake offers almost every species of game and panfish found in Michigan with the exception of the trout/salmon families, the sturgeon, the muskellunge, and white bass. Common catches include northern pike, bluegill, walleye, crappie, yellow perch and both largemouth bass and smallmouth bass. M-55 follows the southern shore, while U.S. Highway 127 passes just to the west. M-18 and Interstate 75 pass just to the east. Houghton Lake is notable for the annual winter carnival, Tip Up Town USA, which is held during two consecutive weekends in January. The name for the festival originated from the flag-like devices - "tip-ups", used for ice fishing. The USA was added later. Tip Up Town Badges, required for entry to the Tip Up Town site on the south shore of Houghton Lake, are sold annually at local businesses. This carnival includes so many different activities. Prizes are won for different things for all different ages. There is the polar bear dip, where a hole of ice is cut out of the frozen lake, then the contestants jump in. Another famous attraction at Tip-Up Town is the ice slide. Weeks before the carnival starts, the effort is put in to make a giant slide made of nothing but ice! There are a lot of different races that happen on the lake as well. Side-by-side races, dirt bike races, and snowmobile races. The biggest attraction at Tip-Up Town is the beer tent. The beer tent is a big tent set up with live singers and drinks, it is the warmest place to visit. Houghton Lake is known for Tip-Up Town USA.

Marl Lake is a freshwater lake located in Roscommon County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The lake is entirety located within South Higgins Lake State Park. The lake is within Markey Township to the south and Gerrish Township to the north. Covering a surface area of 237 acres (0.96 km2), Marl Lake is a significantly smaller and less-developed lake compared to the nearby Higgins Lake. The two are connected by the Cut River, and upon exiting Marl Lake, the Cut River continues to flow into Houghton Lake. The lake can be reached through a state park access point along East Higgins Lake Road (County Road 100). The lake has a small public boat launch, but the use of electric or gas motors is restricted in favor of smaller vessels, as the lake itself is no more than 4 feet (1.2 m) deep. The waters may be difficult to fish due to its grassy nature and very loose marl bottom, but common fish within the lake include smallmouth bass, rock bass, sunfish, and several other small varieties. Other activities include hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing along the 5.5 miles (8.9 km) of trails cutting along and through the forest around Marl Lake. Kayaking, bird watching, photography, shore fishing, and picnicking are also popular activities.