Sumner Road Boat Launch

This is a Charlevoix County Road Commission road-end, not a developed park — which is exactly why it's free, unstaffed, and a little rough around the edges. You get a cement pad, a small seasonal dock, and a couple of benches; you don't get restrooms, a fee station, or anyone maintaining it day to day. Pack out what you pack in.

Be honest with yourself about your rig before you come here. The ramp is steep and the water at the bottom is too shallow to float a trailered boat off cleanly. Reviewers agree it's fine for jet skis, kayaks, and very small boats, and frustrating-to-useless for anything larger. Towing a real boat? Use the Melrose Township launch in the village instead.

The concrete runs about 25 feet into the water and then just ends — there's a sudden drop-off at the edge of the slab. Multiple boaters warn that your trailer wheels can roll off that edge, so back down slowly and know where the concrete stops. Rollers handle this far better than bunks.

Boaters report the ground on both sides of the ramp is washed out, so keep your trailer squarely on the concrete. Drift off the slab and you'll be digging out — or worse. This is a recurring complaint, not a one-time washout.

Don't park near the turnaround by the dock — keep that area clear. Locals say to pull off alongside the road further up the hill instead. Plan to walk a little.