Craft & Seasonality
✓
Motorboat ✓
Kayak / Canoe ✓
Jet Ski / PWC ✗
Large 22ft+ ✗
Winter Access Site Details
Conditions change rapidly due to water levels, prop wash, and weather. Always visually inspect before backing down.
RampPaved, 2 lanes
Dock1 boating pier · ADA
Trailer Parking11 spots · gravel
Vehicle-Only13 spots
FeeMI Recreation Passport (annual, on vehicle registration)
Hours4 AM – 11 PM
RestroomsVault toilet (1)
PierYes
AccessibilityAccessible pier, restroom
Not Available Fish cleaning · Fishing pier
Scout's Notes
Ramp Quirks & Etiquette
Finding the Launch
The entrance road (Grace Road) is poorly marked and rough dirt — easy to miss if you don't know where you're going. Plug it into GPS or you'll drive past it. It's an easement road, so don't expect county-level maintenance.
Ramp Depth Varies
The concrete ramp itself is decent with two lanes, but it can run shallow depending on the season. Spring and high-water years you'll have no trouble at all. Lower water periods might give you a scrape if you're running a deeper-draft boat.
Parking Fills Fast
Only 11 trailer spots. On summer weekends this lot gets tight in a hurry — if you're not there by mid-morning, you may be out of luck. Weekday mornings and early spring are a different story; sometimes you'll have the whole lake practically to yourself.
Know the Lake Rules
Spider Lake is heavily regulated. All bays are slow-no-wake, and quiet hours run 7:30 PM to 11:00 AM — no high-speed boating during that window. It's a pontoon-and-fishing lake, not a ski lake. If you want to rip around, head over to Arbutus instead.
Rec Passport Required
You need a Michigan Recreation Passport to access the launch since it's administered by Traverse City State Park. Don't show up without one or you'll be turning around on that dirt road.
Sources: DNR GIS data, Google Reviews
About This Lake
Spider Lake →