Lake Manatee State Park Boat Ramp

No closure, damage or drawdown notice is posted for this ramp on FDEP's park pages or FWC's notices page (checked July 31, 2026) — but the park's alerts can trail the county by weeks, so call 941-741-3028 for ramp condition and water level before towing.

The park gate closes at sundown, 365 days a year, and it is the only way out. Be off the water and trailered before dark.

Active stage management. Ahead of Hurricane Debby in August 2024, Manatee County lowered the reservoir to 36 feet over several days and then released about 18 billion gallons through Lake Manatee Dam (Your Observer, September 2024). Expect the operator to move the pool ahead of storms.

Algae. Manatee County Utilities' water odor and taste fact sheet, posted 4 January 2025, says blooms in the reservoir "appear most frequently in the late spring and early summer but can occur at anytime during the year" and that "On average they occur 2 to 3 times per year and last 2-4 weeks each."

FDEP warns that at the park's swim area "Water plants are frequently blown ashore," and that conditions and accessibility vary seasonally.

A fish consumption advisory is in effect for Lake Manatee (FWC, read 2026-07-31). FDOH's guidebook lists largemouth bass at one meal per month for women of childbearing age and young children, one per week for everyone else, with mercury as the contaminant of concern.

SWFWMD Modified Phase III "Extreme" water shortage restrictions cover all of Manatee County through 1 October 2026. They restrict water use, not launching — but a prolonged regional deficit is a plausible low-water risk on a reservoir with a 14-foot operating band.

2 lanesConcrete. FWC rates the ramp condition "Good to Excellent." ramp

17 spotsTrailer parking

8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year. FDEP, verbatim: "The park is open from 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year." FWC's row says "8:00a until Sunset, 365 days a year."Hours

Directions

Craft Access

✓

Motorboat

✓

Kayak / Canoe

✗

Jet Ski / PWC

✗

Large 22ft+

Site Details

Conditions change rapidly due to water levels, prop wash, and weather. Always visually inspect before backing down.

RampConcrete. FWC rates the ramp condition "Good to Excellent.", 2 lanes

Water DepthNot published — no agency gives a depth at this ramp, and the reservoir has no public stage gauge. On a lake with a roughly 14-foot operating band, that is worth a call to 941-741-3028 before towing.

DockFloating docks, recorded by FWC as both launch and staging; FDEP calls it a double-access launch with floating fishing docks. No overnight mooring. · ADA

Trailer Parking17 spots · paved asphalt or concrete; fwc rates the parking condition good.

Crowding This is the only confirmed access on the lake: 17 trailer spaces behind a gate that opens at 8 a.m. A 20 hp lake does not draw a wake-boat crowd, but the park's campground, picnic pavilions and swim area feed the same lot. Weekend mornings and holidays are the pinch.

Plan B — if this lot is full There is no good on-lake plan B. The only other Lake Manatee access is FWC's east ramp off Highway 64, unverified as open and rated “Needs Repair” by FWC itself. Off the lake, the closest county options are the State Route 64 ramp on the Braden River and Jiggs Landing — different waters with different rules, and Lake Manatee's 20 hp cap does not carry over.

Fee$5 vehicle entry (2–8 people) + $4 ramp fee = $9. Solo driver $8. Walk-in or paddler on foot $6.

Hours8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year. FDEP, verbatim: "The park is open from 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year." FWC's row says "8:00 AM until Sunset, 365 days a year."

SeasonYear-round. FDEP publishes no seasonal closure for this park.

PierYes

StaffedYes - attendant collects the entry and ramp fee

AccessibilityFWC rates this site "High Level of Accessibility," with 1 accessible trailer space, 0 accessible vehicle spaces, a flush restroom recorded as accessible, and paved parking. FDEP publishes no accessibility statement specific to the ramp or the floating docks.

Not Available Fish cleaning

Scout's Notes

Ramp Quirks & Etiquette

Gate Hours Rule the Day

The park opens at 8 a.m. and locks its gate at sundown, 365 days a year — no pre-dawn launch, and be off the water and trailered before dark. The gate is the only way out.

Budget Nine Dollars

$5 vehicle entrance (two to eight people) plus a separate $4 ramp fee — $9 for a typical trailered launch, $8 solo, $6 for a paddler. Whether an annual entrance pass covers the $4 ramp fee is not published anywhere; ask at the gate.

The 20 HP Boundary

The county's motor cap applies lake-wide, and the published wordings split on whether exactly 20 horsepower is in or out — FDEP's amenities page says “20 horsepower or less,” its main page and FWC say “less than 20.” If you run a 20, call 941-741-3028 before you tow. Water-skiing is banned outright.

Docks, Parking, Restrooms

Floating launch-and-staging docks, 17 paved trailer spaces (one accessible) and flush restrooms. No fish-cleaning station, no overnight mooring, and whether the docks themselves meet ADA standards is not stated — call ahead if that decides your trip.

Check the Water First

The reservoir runs on a roughly 14-foot operating band with no public stage feed, and no depth at the ramp is published — the county also moves the pool ahead of storms. One phone call to 941-741-3028 beats a wasted tow.

Ignore the Address Typo

FWC's record misspells the road. Navigate to 20007 E State Road 64, Bradenton, or the coordinates 27.48161, -82.34093.

When It Fills

The ramp shares its lot with a campground, swim area, playground and picnic pavilions. A 20 hp lake draws bass boats on kickers, kayaks and campers rather than wake boats, but weekend mornings and holidays still pinch — go early.

FDEP / Florida State Parks Lake Manatee State Park pages (main, Hours & Fees, Experiences & Amenities), all fetched 2026-07-31; the FWC Florida Boat Ramp Inventory layer 4 row for MA70018SP; FWC's Lake Manatee fishing page; USGS SIM 3112; SWFWMD's district water restrictions page; Manatee County Utilities' water odor and taste fact sheet; and Your Observer's dam-operations report. FWC's layer-wide last_edited_date is not used as a verification date.

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