Defined by water, Michigan is the only U.S. state to border four of the five Great Lakes.
* **The Great Lakes:** Bordered by Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, and Lake Erie. No point in the state is more than 85 miles from a Great Lake. * **Inland Lakes:** Michigan boasts over 11,000 inland lakes, the most famous of which include Torch Lake (known for its Caribbean-blue waters), Houghton Lake, and Higgins Lake. * **Rivers:** Over 36,000 miles of rivers and streams, including the Detroit River (a major international shipping channel), the Grand River (the state's longest), the Au Sable (famous for fly fishing), and the Tahquamenon River. * **Waterfalls:** The Upper Peninsula is home to over 300 waterfalls, prominently Tahquamenon Falls, one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi.