Ross Lake Boat Launch

This is a town park that happens to have a boat ramp, not the other way around. On summer weekends the splash pad and beach draw big crowds of families, so parking fills up fast even though there are 30 trailer spots. Get there early if you're launching on a Saturday — by mid-morning you'll be competing with minivans and cooler wagons for space.

One lane means you're waiting if anyone ahead of you is slow on the trailer. Weekday mornings are painless, but weekend afternoons can stack up, especially when people are pulling out at the same time others are trying to put in. No courtesy dock that I've seen, so have your boat prepped before you back down.

The lake is lined thick with lily pads and cattails along the shoreline. Great for bass fishing if you can work the edges, but it can make getting away from the ramp a bit of a maze if you're in a wider boat. Kayaks and small Jon boats have the easiest time here — pontoons fit fine once you're out in open water.

The lake gets deep surprisingly fast off the beach and near the ramp area. Good news for launching — you won't be dragging your trailer out to the middle of the lake. But if you've got little ones wading near the swimming area, that's a different story.

There are river channels feeding the lake that are worth paddling up. Current isn't strong, so kayakers can head upstream and drift back without needing a shuttle or second vehicle. It's honestly the best reason to launch here — the lake itself is modest, but the river exploration makes it a solid half-day trip.