Cold Brook County Park

Don't leave anything visible in your truck. The lot is somewhat isolated and break-ins have happened — not just smash-and-grabs but deliberate, time-consuming damage. Take your valuables with you or lock them in a toolbox.

Only 16 trailer spots, and the park gates lock at 7 PM sharp. If you're doing an evening bite, you need to be pulling out before close or you'll get locked in. Morning opening is 7 AM, so no dawn launches either.

$5 daily fee collected at the entrance — bring cash. The annual pass is $30 and worth it if you'll hit it more than six times a season. Rules are only posted at the park entrance, not down at the ramp, so read them on your way in.

Two lanes on a small lake that doesn't see heavy powerboat traffic. You'll rarely wait in line, but weekends can get cozy with kayakers and shore fishermen sharing the same waterfront. The ramp itself handles most mid-size boats fine — nothing exotic, just functional concrete.

The beach and grassy slopes near the water are plastered with goose droppings, especially midsummer. The muck near shore can go from sandy bottom to black silt without warning, so watch your footing when wading near the ramp area. The lake can carry a sulfury smell in the warmer months when algae kicks up.