Bewabic State Park

One lane and 16 trailer spots sounds tight on paper, but First Fortune Lake doesn't draw big crowds. Even on summer weekends you're unlikely to wait more than a few minutes. This isn't Houghton Lake — it's a quiet UP inland lake with maybe three or four fishing boats out at a time.

The lake is clean and clear, but watch your depth right off the ramp, especially in late summer. Bigger boats (18'+) should power out slowly and pay attention — it stays shallow for a bit before dropping off.

You need a valid Michigan Recreation Passport to get through the gate. If you're just launching for the day and don't have one on your plate, you can buy a day pass at the entrance, but it's worth knowing before you roll up with a trailer and a line of cars behind you.

There's a pedestrian bridge connecting to a small island just off the main shore. From the bridge you can see fish stacked up in the clear water below — looks tempting, but the bridge area gets foot traffic from campers and families. Keep that in mind if you're fishing nearby; it's not exactly a secret spot.

Weekends bring in campers and the beach area gets lively, but come Tuesday through Thursday and you'll practically have the lake to yourself. Fall is even better — stunning color on the surrounding hardwoods and almost nobody launching.