Maple Bay State Forest Campground Boat Launch

The campground and surrounding area sit in a marshy lowland, and the mosquitoes here are genuinely brutal — we're talking swarm-level, not nuisance-level. June and July are the worst. If you're just launching and leaving, no big deal, but if you're hanging around the ramp waiting on your crew, douse yourself first.

The ramp sits right in the campground, and weekend nights this place turns into a party zone. If you're launching early Saturday or Sunday morning, expect to navigate around people who've been up half the night. The campers closest to the ramp get the worst of the boat traffic noise, but it cuts both ways — the partying crowd can delay your morning routine at the launch.

Two lanes with a decent dock that can handle bigger boats — 20-footers are no problem. The ramp itself drops into Maple Bay with good depth, and you can get on Burt Lake's 17,000 acres quickly from here. It's a real alternative to Burt Lake State Park when that launch is a zoo on summer Saturdays.

38 trailer spots sounds adequate until you realize the campground is first-come-first-serve and campers with trailers eat into the available space. Weekends from late June through August, the front spots near the water go fast. If you're trailering in on a Saturday morning, arrive before 9 AM or you might be squeezing in creatively.

After any sustained rain, the campground and areas around the launch turn into a muddy mess. The sites sit on built-up berms, but the access road and staging area get soft. If it's been a rainy week, come prepared for some slick maneuvering backing your trailer down.