East Arm Boat Launch

The parking lot and approach road are absolutely riddled with potholes — we're talking big ones that'll rattle your trailer and test your hitch. The ramp surface itself is rough too. Drive slow and pick your line carefully, especially with a loaded trailer.

The water at the ramp is very shallow, maybe two feet in spots, and the bottom is rocky once you get off the main channel line. Stay dead center on your approach coming off the ramp — if you deviate even a little, you're scraping rocks. Sand drifts onto the ramp too, especially later in the season. Best suited for smaller rec boats rather than deep-V hulls with big drafts.

Thirty-two trailer spots sounds decent, but this lot fills fast on summer weekends. By mid-morning you're circling. Weekdays are fine — Wednesday afternoon you'll have your pick. On busy days expect 30+ minute waits at the ramp, and the narrow loading area with no clear traffic flow makes it worse when people crowd in.

Being on the east side of Old Mission Peninsula means you're sheltered from the prevailing west wind most days. That's a real advantage over launches on West Bay when it's blowing. Makes it a great spot for paddleboarders and kayakers, and loading/unloading is noticeably easier than other public docks on the bay.

There are vault toilets on site, and they are genuinely awful — you'll smell them from 50 feet away. They technically exist, but plan accordingly. Bring your own supplies or just hold it.