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.
RampPaved, 6 lanes
Dock3 boating piers · ADA
Trailer Parking116 spots · asphalt
Plan B — if this lot is full Houghton Lake West (6 lanes, 89 spots)
Houghton Lake East (2 lanes, 32 spots)
Houghton Lake East (2 lanes, 32 spots)
FeeMI Recreation Passport (annual, on vehicle registration)
HoursOpen at all times
SeasonYear-round
RestroomsVault toilet (2)
PierYes
AIS StationDecontamination tools on-site
AccessibilityAccessible piers. Parking, pedestrian routes, and restrooms not confirmed accessible.
Not Available Fish cleaning · Fishing pier
Scout's Notes
Ramp Quirks & Etiquette
The Main Event
Houghton Lake's biggest and busiest launch — 6 lanes, 116 trailer spots, and the home of Tip-Up Town USA, Michigan's famous ice fishing festival held every January. If you're launching on Houghton Lake for the first time, this is probably where you'll end up.
The Channel
The launch sits in a sheltered harbor with a narrow channel out to the main lake. Tight for longer boats and pontoons — multiple reviewers flag this. Seaweed builds up in the channel during summer. Channel markers have been reported missing in recent years — stay center and go slow until you're in open water.
No Lighting
No lights at the launch or in the channel. If you're coming in or going out after dark, bring your own illumination. Extremely dark according to multiple reviewers.
Winter Access
Year-round access and a primary ice fishing staging area. Snowmobiles, ice shanties, and plowed lake roads all launch from here. Good ice typically forms by January. This is where Tip-Up Town USA is held — expect crowds in late January.
Shore Fishing
The park area to the left of the launch has shoreline access, but it's shallow — typical for Houghton Lake. Expect to wade out to waist-deep water to reach fish. Bluegill, pike, bass, and walleye possible from shore.
Sources: Google Reviews (2016–2025), michigan-sportsman.com forums, visithoughtonlake.com
About This Lake
Houghton Lake →