McCormick Lake Boat Launch

One lane and only six trailer spots, so this isn't the place to show up with a crew of buddies all trailering separately. A single truck-and-trailer rig fits fine, but anything over 18 feet and you'll feel it on the turnaround.

Getting here means winding through some remote Montmorency County backroads with minimal signage. If you don't have it pinned on GPS, you could easily drive right past. That remoteness is also what keeps the crowds away — most days you'll have the lake nearly to yourself.

This lake is crystal clear and surprisingly deep for its size. You can see bottom in 10-plus feet of water near the launch. It's almost eerie how pristine it is. Great for sight-fishing if the trout cooperate, but they can be finicky in water this clear.

Autumn colors around this lake are next-level — the surrounding forest lights up and the water reflects it like glass. Expect the parking to actually fill on weekend afternoons in late September and October, which almost never happens the rest of the year.

They stock it with trout and there's a smelt population too, so trolling small spoons or spinners works well. Power boats are allowed, but keep it reasonable — this is a small, quiet lake and the locals like it that way.