Public Boat Launches on Lake St. Clair

Where you launch shapes the whole day. Lake St. Clair has public ramps up and down the Michigan shore, from Harrison Township down to the Nautical Mile and up into Anchor Bay. Here is how to pick one and what to know before you hitch up the trailer.

What to check before you go

• Ramp depth and lake level. Lake St. Clair levels move with wind and season. A stiff west wind can pull water off the western ramps in a hurry.
• Trailer parking. Popular ramps fill by mid-morning on a good summer Saturday. Get there early or launch on the off hours.
• Fees and passes. County and Metropark ramps usually charge a daily launch fee or take a season pass. Bring it or bring cash.
• Fuel and pump-out nearby. Know where your closest fuel dock is before you leave the ramp. On the west side that is usually MacRay Harbor or Safe Harbor Belle Maer in Harrison Township.

Where to launch

The biggest and best-known public access is at Lake St. Clair Metropark in Harrison Township, with a large multi-lane ramp, plenty of trailer parking, and direct access to the open lake. It is the default for a lot of trailer boaters on the west side.

Down on the Nautical Mile, the 9 Mile Boat Launch in St. Clair Shores puts you right in the middle of the marina district and steps from the waterfront restaurants. Up north in Anchor Bay, Chesterfield's Brandenburg Park is the local favorite for the New Baltimore end of the lake.

See every ramp we track on the boat launches page, or browse access by town on the areas page.

Once you are on the water

Lake St. Clair is big, shallow, and can build a short steep chop fast when the wind comes up. Watch the marked channels, keep an eye on the sky, and know your way back to the ramp. If something goes sideways, our repair and service listings are the yards that will get you sorted, and First Mate Marine Service is the one most Harrison Township boaters call first.