Clinch Memorial Boat Launch

There are no designated trailer spots here. You're dealing with metered city parking that fills fast, especially mid-summer. Free on Sundays, but that's also when half of Traverse City shows up. During Cherry Festival week in early July, forget about it entirely — the carnival takes over a huge chunk of the area.

This is really a kayak and small craft drop-in more than a proper boat launch. Two lanes exist on paper, but the setup is geared toward the adjacent marina and beach scene, not guys backing in 21-foot walleyes. If you're trailering anything with real draft, head to the DNR launch on East Bay instead.

Metered parking runs about $1 per hour and you'll need quarters or a parking app. Weekday mornings you're fine, but summer weekends turn into a real scramble. The lots serve the beach, splash pad, marina, and downtown foot traffic all at once, so competition is fierce. Arrive before 10 AM on Saturdays or plan to walk a few blocks.

You're launching directly into West Grand Traverse Bay, which is gorgeous but can get nasty with a northwest wind. Swells build fast across that open fetch. On calm days it's stunning — clear water, great sunset views from the pier. But respect the conditions, because there's not much shelter once you're out.