Bear Lake is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Kalkaska County in the U.S. state of Michigan.

[3] The community of Bear Lake was listed as a newly-organized census-designated place for the 2010 census, meaning it now has officially defined boundaries and population statistics for the first time.

[4] The CDP is organized for statistical purposes only and has no legal status as an incorporated municipality.

[3] The community is located in the northwest portion of Bear Lake Township in Kalkaska County.

M-72 runs east–west through the southern portion of the CDP and connects to Grayling to the east and Kalkaska to the west.