Betsie River

Betsie River
Mouth of the Betsie River at Lake Michigan, in Frankfort
Location of mouth
Physical characteristics
Source 
 • locationGreen Lake near Interlochen
 • coordinates44°35′31″N 85°47′40″W / 44.5919459°N 85.794522°W / 44.5919459; -85.794522
Mouth 
 • location
Lake Michigan at Frankfort
 • coordinates
44°37′45″N 86°14′45″W / 44.6291652°N 86.2459287°W / 44.6291652; -86.2459287
Length54 mi (87 km)

The Betsie River (/bɛts/ BET-see) is a 54.0-mile-long (86.9 km) river in the U.S. state of Michigan. The river is located in the northwestern Lower Peninsula of the state, flowing into Lake Michigan at Frankfort. The river's course is mostly within Benzie County, (which takes its name from a variant pronunciation of the river), although the river rises in western Grand Traverse County and flows briefly through northern Manistee County.

The river widens to form Betsie Lake before emptying into Lake Michigan between Frankfort and Elberta. The Betsie River is a part of Michigan's Natural Rivers Program.