Brimley State Park

One lane and only 10 trailer spots — on summer weekends when the campground is full, you can easily wait 20-30 minutes to launch. Get there early morning or expect to circle for parking.

This is first and foremost a campground, not a boating facility. The launch sits to the left of the beach area and you're sharing the road with campers, kids on bikes, and pedestrians. Go slow and be patient navigating in with a trailer.

You're launching into the St. Marys River shipping channel where Great Lakes freighters pass heading to and from the Soo Locks. Stay well clear of the marked channel — those ships can't stop or maneuver around you, and the wake alone will swamp a small boat.

You need a Michigan Recreation Passport to enter the state park, so have that sorted before you arrive. Also worth knowing that low-lying areas around the launch and campground flood after heavy rain — I've seen standing water near the ramp after a good storm that makes the approach sloppy.

This launch works fine for aluminum fishing boats and smaller rigs, but if you're trailering anything over 20 feet, you're going to have a tight time with the limited maneuvering space and single lane. For bigger boats heading to Whitefish Bay, the launch at Sault Ste. Marie is a much better option — about 25 minutes east with more lanes and real parking.