Craft & Seasonality
✓
Motorboat ✓
Kayak / Canoe ✓
Jet Ski / PWC ✗
Large 22ft+ ✗
Winter Access Site Details
Conditions change rapidly due to water levels, prop wash, and weather. Always visually inspect before backing down.
RampConcrete, 1 lane
Dock1 boating pier · ADA
Trailer Parking20 spots · gravel
Vehicle-Only2 spots
FeeMI Recreation Passport or $12 daily launch fee
Hours4 AM – 11 PM
RestroomsVault toilet (1)
PierYes
AccessibilityAccessible piers, restrooms.
Not Available Fish cleaning · Fishing pier
Scout's Notes
Ramp Quirks & Etiquette
Best Launch on the Lake
Openo Park is the primary launch on Intermediate Lake — concrete ramp, vault toilet, and 20 trailer spots. Small but well-regarded. Reviewers consistently describe it as a good launch on an incredible lake. Water trail trailhead for the Upper Chain Route.
Chain Access
Intermediate Lake is the hub of the Upper Chain. Paddle upstream through Hanley, Benway, Wilson, Ellsworth, St. Claire, and Six Mile lakes — over 20 miles of water trail. One portage between St. Claire and Ellsworth. Downstream, the Intermediate River flows to Bellaire where a dam blocks motorized passage. Paddlers can portage 1/3 mile across M-88 to Ohio Street Launch to reach the Lower Chain (Bellaire, Clam, Torch, Elk, Skegemog).
Medium Watercraft
DNR rates this as a hard surface, medium watercraft ramp. Fine for fishing boats and pontoons but not built for large rigs.
Sources: DNR GIS data, Michigan Water Trails, Google Reviews, Outdoor Michigan
About This Lake
Intermediate Lake →