Maple Road Boat Launch

This place floods every single spring — the DNR even flags it as a flood plain. Don't bother trying to launch until the water recedes, usually mid to late May depending on the year. Even after the flood pulls back, the dirt ramp can be a muddy mess for weeks.

It's a dirt ramp, not concrete, so manage your expectations. You're fine with a kayak, canoe, or a small jon boat, but don't try backing a heavy rig down there — you'll tear it up and get stuck. Big trucks have already done a number on the approach.

Eight trailer spots is all you get, and this doubles as a campground access point, so the lot gets crowded on weekends with a mix of campers, anglers, and kayakers. Weekdays you'll have it to yourself, but Saturday morning you might be out of luck.

The Maple River here is more backwater than river — barely any current, wide and sluggish. Great for a lazy kayak float or casting for pike and smallmouth, but the water gets stagnant and smelly in the warmer months. About 1.5 hours of steady paddling upstream to the French Road DNR launch if you want to do a point-to-point trip.

People leave a lot of debris around the launch and fire pits nearby. Give the ramp area a good look before you back in — sticks, trash, and sediment accumulate, especially later in the season. The DNR hasn't put much money into maintaining this one, so come with low expectations and you'll be fine.