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, 2 lanes
Water DepthVery shallow — 3–4 ft for 100–250 yards out. Keep prop up leaving the ramp.
Dock1 boating pier
Trailer Parking32 spots · asphalt
Plan B — if this lot is full Houghton Lake South (6 lanes, 116 spots)
Houghton Lake West (6 lanes, 89 spots)
Houghton Lake West (6 lanes, 89 spots)
FeeMI Recreation Passport (annual, on vehicle registration)
HoursOpen at all times
SeasonYear-round
RestroomsVault toilet (1)
PierYes
AIS StationDecontamination tools on-site
Not Available Fish cleaning · Fishing pier
Scout's Notes
Ramp Quirks & Etiquette
Naming
The DNR lists this as ‘Houghton Lake East,’ but Google Maps and some locals call it North DNR Boat Launch. It’s on the east shore near County Road 100. If someone gives you directions to ‘the east launch’ or ‘the north launch,’ this is probably what they mean.
Shallow Water
The defining challenge here. Multiple boaters report the ramp area is shallow on both sides, with only 3–4 feet of water extending 100–250 yards out. Keep your prop up leaving the ramp or you’ll drag bottom. Low-water years make it worse — at least one reviewer couldn’t get their boat off the trailer.
The Ramp
Two concrete lanes with one dock. Reviewers consistently say it’s clean, well-maintained, and rarely crowded — a contrast to the bigger launches on the south and west shores. Good for smaller boats and fishing rigs that can handle the shallow approach.
Shore Fishing
At least one regular reports catching fish from shore here. The shallow flats that make launching tricky are actually productive fishing habitat — walleye, pike, and panfish in the shallows.
Sources: Google Reviews (2017–2025), DNR GIS data
About This Lake
Houghton Lake →