Reedsburg Dam State Forest Campground Boat Launch

There are only 3 trailer parking spots at this launch, and the campground is first-come-first-serve, so on summer weekends those spots vanish early. If you're pulling a trailer, plan to arrive before 8 AM on Saturdays or you'll be improvising.

The Dead Stream Flooding is full of submerged stumps and weed mats poking out of the water. This is not a place to run a big motor wide open — you need to idle out and pick your way carefully. A small boat or canoe is really the way to go here.

The road into the campground gets nasty in winter — rutted, icy, and not a priority for plowing. Four-wheel drive is basically mandatory from December through March if you're trying to get a boat in.

Water levels on the flooding can drop significantly depending on the season and dam management. I've seen it low enough that the ramp gets sketchy for anything with real draft. Fall tends to be the worst for this — scout the waterline before you commit.

This launch is really built for canoes, kayaks, and 14-footers with a trolling motor. Pike, largemouth, and panfish are all through here, and the flooding is a gorgeous paddle with bald eagles and black terns nesting on the grass mats. Don't expect a big-water experience — expect a wildlife refuge that happens to have a ramp.