Craft & Seasonality
✓
Motorboat ✓
Kayak / Canoe ✓
Jet Ski / PWC ✗
Large Boat ✗
Winter Access Site Details
Conditions change rapidly due to water levels, prop wash, and weather. Always visually inspect before backing down.
RampUnimproved, 1 lane
Dock1 boating pier · ADA
Trailer Parking10 spots · gravel
FeeMI Recreation Passport (annual, on vehicle registration)
HoursOpen at all times
RestroomsVault toilet (1)
PierYes
AccessibilityAccessible pier
Not Available Fish cleaning · Fishing pier
Scout's Notes
Ramp Quirks & Etiquette
Tight Parking Window
Ten trailer spots and one lane — on summer weekends this lot fills by mid-morning. If you roll in after 10 AM on a Saturday, you're probably parking on the grass shoulder and hoping nobody blocks you in.
Shallow First Crook
The first bend of the lake is deceptively shallow. If you're running anything with a deeper draft, stay toward the center and don't cut corners. It drops off significantly once you round the bend, but that shallow stretch has caught plenty of lower units.
Weekend Chaos
This is a small lake that tries to be an all-sports lake, and on busy weekends it shows. Jet skis, pontoons, tubers, and anglers all crammed into tight crooks with limited room to turn. If you're here to fish, go early on a weekday — Saturday afternoons are a zoo.
Tricky For Water Sports
The crooked shape isn't just a name — it makes long straight pulls for skiing or tubing nearly impossible. You're constantly turning, and with weekend boat traffic coming around blind bends, it gets dicey. Better suited for pontoon cruising and fishing than anything that needs a runway.
Cottage Lake Vibe
This is very much a locals-and-cabin-owners lake. People wave as you pass, there are community fireworks and kid events in summer. It's friendly and low-key during the week, which makes the weekend overcrowding feel even more jarring by contrast.
Sources: DNR GIS data, Google Reviews, Google Street View
About This Lake
Crooked Lake →