Cleveland Township was established in 1871 and is located in the southwestern portion of Leelanau County, Michigan.  The Township is comprised of approximately 20,864 acres of land, of which about 8,128 fall within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.

The Northern boundary of Cleveland Township borders Good Harbor Bay and there are six inland lakes within the Township:  Bass Lake, Hidden Lake, Lime Lake, Little Traverse Lake, Narada Lake, School Lake and Shell Lake.  Near the Township's eastern boundary lies Sugar Loaf Mountain, which has one of the highest elevations within Leelanau County at approximately 1,105 feet.