Boat launches · The Walleye Capital
Lake Erie Boat Launches
Erie has the densest launch network on the chain: the western-basin ramps from the Detroit River to Catawba Island and the Bass Islands, the central-basin city and park launches from Vermilion to Conneaut, and the Presque Isle Bay ramps at Erie.
Public launches
96
Trailer ramps
81
States
4
Counties
12
Before you launch
Launching on Erie
Erie is the shallowest Great Lake and the quickest to turn. A sustained blow builds a short, breaking sea in a couple of hours, and summer squalls can arrive from the west with little warning. In the western basin, mind the reefs; on the run to the islands, mind how far you are from shelter.
Read the Lake Erie field guide for hazards and the season, and trailering and launching on big water before your first trip.
Room for a crowd
The most lanes among Michigan sites
Ranked by lane count where the agency publishes one (Michigan DNR); other states' sites may be as big.
Bolles Harbor
15 lanes, 294 trailer spaces on LaPlaisance Creek.
Bartnik in Sterling State Park
10 lanes, 302 trailer spaces on Sandy Creek.
Huron River Mouth
2 lanes, 50 trailer spaces on Lake Erie.
Ecorse Municipal Ramp
2 lanes on Detroit River.
Harrison Ave
2 lanes on Lake Erie.
Wyandotte Municipal Ramp
2 lanes on Detroit River.
Michigan DNR
Lake Erie launches in Michigan 14
Monroe County 4
- Bartnik in Sterling State ParkSandy CreekRamp · 10 lanes · 302 trailers
- Bolles HarborLaPlaisance CreekRamp · 15 lanes · 294 trailers
- City of Luna PierRamp
- Mouillee Creek MouthRamp
Wayne County 10
- Dr. H. Belanger ParkDetroit RiverRamp
- Ecorse Municipal RampDetroit RiverRamp · 2 lanes
- Elizabeth ParkRamp
- Harrison AveRamp · 2 lanes
- Huron River MouthRamp · 2 lanes · 50 trailers
- Lake Erie MetroparkRamp
- Reid RampsDetroit RiverRamp
- Riverbank DriveDetroit RiverCarry-in
- Riverside ParkDetroit RiverRamp
- Wyandotte Municipal RampDetroit RiverRamp · 2 lanes
NYSDEC
Lake Erie launches in New York 7
Chautauqua County 4
- Barcelona HarborWestfieldRamp
- Dunkirk HarborDunkirkRamp
- Hanover municipal launchCattaraugus Creek · HanoverRamp
- Sunset Bay State Marine ParkCattaraugus Creek · HanoverRamp
Erie County 3
- Buffalo Harbor State ParkBuffaloRamp
- Erie Basin MarinaBuffaloRamp
- Sturgeon Point MarinaEvansRamp
Ohio DNR Division of Wildlife
Lake Erie launches in Ohio 59
Ashtabula County 6
- Conneaut Port Authority AccessConneautRamp
- Geneva State Park (Cowles Creek)Cowles Creek · Geneva-on-the-LakeRamp
- Geneva State Park (Cowles Creek)Cowles Creek · Geneva-on-the-LakeRamp
- Geneva State Park (Geneva-on-the-Lake)Geneva-on-the-LakeRamp
- Lakeshore ParkAshtabula TownshipRamp
- Woodworth Road Public Boat RampConneaut Creek · ConneautRamp
Cuyahoga County 5
- Bradstreet's LandingRocky RiverCarry-in
- Edgewater ParkClevelandRamp
- Gordon ParkClevelandRamp
- Rocky River ReservationRocky River · LakewoodRamp
- Wildwood ParkEuclid Creek · ClevelandRamp
Erie County 8
- Big Island Preserve and LandingEast Sandusky Bay, Pipe Creek · SanduskyCarry-in
- East Sandusky Bay MetroParkEast Sandusky Bay · Huron TownshipCarry-in
- Huron River Boat AccessHuron River · HuronRamp
- Kelleys Island State ParkKelleys IslandRamp
- Main Street BeachVermilionCarry-in
- Shelby Street Public Boat LaunchSandusky Bay · SanduskyRamp
- South Street Launch RampVermilion River · VermilionRamp
- Wakefield MetroParkVermilion River · VermilionCarry-in
Lake County 9
- Eastlake Port Authority Boat RampChagrin River · EastlakeRamp
- Fairport Harbor Lakefront ParkFairport HarborCarry-in
- Fairport Harbor Port Authority Boat AccessFairport HarborRamp
- Grand River LandingGrand River · Fairport HarborRamp
- Kiwanis Recreation ParkGrand River · PainesvilleCarry-in
- Lake Erie BluffsPerry TownshipCarry-in
- Madison Township ParkMadison TownshipRamp
- Mentor Lagoons Nature PreserveMentor Lagoons · MentorRamp
- Perry Township ParkPerry TownshipRamp
Lorain County 8
- Black River Wharf Boat LaunchBlack River · LorainRamp
- French Creek ReservationBlack River, French Creek · SheffieldCarry-in
- Lakeside LandingLorainRamp
- Lakeview ParkLorainCarry-in
- Lorain Public Boat RampLorainRamp
- Miller Road ParkAvon LakeRamp
- Sheffield Lake Community ParkSheffield LakeRamp
- Showse ParkVermilionCarry-in
Lucas County 8
- Bayshore Fishing AccessMaumee Bay · OregonRamp
- Belpre Drive LaunchOttawa River · Washington TownshipRamp
- Cullen ParkMaumee Bay · ToledoRamp
- Hammond Drive LaunchOttawa River · Washington TownshipRamp
- Howard Pinkley LandingOttawa River · ToledoCarry-in
- Lucas County Cooley Canal Boat RampCooley Canal · Jerusalem TownshipRamp
- Metzger Marsh State Wildlife AreaWards Canal · Jerusalem TownshipRamp
- President Drive LaunchOttawa River · Washington TownshipRamp
Ottawa County 15
- Catawba Island State ParkCatawba Island TownshipRamp
- Dempsey State Fishing AccessSandusky Bay · Danbury TownshipRamp
- East Harbor State Park (Danbury Township)Danbury TownshipRamp
- East Harbor State Park (West Harbor)West Harbor · Danbury TownshipRamp
- Mazurik Access AreaDanbury TownshipRamp
- Middle Bass Island East Point PreserveMiddle Bass IslandCarry-in
- Middle Bass Island State ParkMiddle Bass IslandRamp
- Portage River State Wildlife AreaPortage River · Erie TownshipRamp
- Put-in-Bay Village MarinaSouth Bass IslandRamp
- Put-in-Bay Village Public LaunchPut-in-BayRamp
- South Bass Island State ParkSouth Bass IslandRamp
- Village of Put-in-Bay BeachSouth Bass IslandCarry-in
- West Harbor Public Boat Launching RampWest Harbor · Catawba Island TownshipRamp
- West Shore Ice Ramp NorthSouth Bass IslandRamp
- West Shore Ice Ramp SouthSouth Bass IslandRamp
PA Fish & Boat Commission
Lake Erie launches in Pennsylvania 16
Erie County 16
- Bay Harbor Public RampPresque Isle Bay · City of ErieRamp
- Chestnut Street Boat RampPresque Isle Bay · City of ErieRamp
- East Avenue Boat RampCity of ErieRamp
- Elk CreekGirard TownshipRamp
- Lampe MarinaCity of ErieRamp
- Lawrence Park Boat Ramp - PWC OnlyLawrence Park TownshipRamp
- New LagoonPresque Isle Bay · ErieRamp
- Niagara LaunchPresque Isle Bay · ErieRamp
- NortheastNortheast TownshipRamp
- Old LagoonPresque Isle Bay · ErieRamp
- Raccoon ParkSpringfield TownshipRamp
- Shades BeachHarborcreek TownshipRamp
- Virginia's BeachSpringfield TownshipRamp
- Vista LaunchPresque Isle Bay · ErieRamp
- Walnut CreekFairview TownshipRamp
- West Pier LaunchPresque Isle Bay · ErieRamp
Once you are on the water
What to fish on Lake Erie
How many public boat launches are on Lake Erie?
This directory lists 96 public launches on Lake Erie and its bays and harbor rivers — 81 trailer ramps and 15 unimproved or carry-in sites — from Michigan DNR, NYSDEC, Ohio DNR, Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission data.
Which Lake Erie launches have the most lanes?
Only Michigan publishes lane counts. Among those sites: Bolles Harbor (15 lanes), Bartnik in Sterling State Park (10 lanes), Huron River Mouth (2 lanes), Ecorse Municipal Ramp (2 lanes). New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania sites are not ranked and may be as big.
Do Lake Erie boat launches charge a fee?
Some do and some do not, and it varies by owner — state, county, city or township. Where the agency publishes a fee, the launch page shows it; otherwise check with the listed manager before you go.
Sources
- Michigan DNR, State Sponsored Developed Boating Access Sites
- NYSDEC, Boat Launch Sites for Chautauqua County
- Ohio DNR Office of Coastal Management, Lake Erie Public Access
- Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, Fishing and Boating Access
- Shoreline: Natural Earth 1:10m lakes (public domain). Charts are not for navigation.
Retrieved 2026-10-05. Trailer ramps, unimproved and carry-in sites as each agency classifies them.