Smithville Boat Launch

This is primarily a canoe/kayak livery and campground, not a traditional public boat launch. The single lane gets busy with rental shuttles and livery traffic, especially on summer weekends and holiday stretches like Labor Day. If you're launching your own boat, plan around their operation — early morning or weekday is the move.

Only 13 trailer spots, and they share the area with livery customers and campers. On a Saturday in July, you'll be competing for space by mid-morning. If the lot's full, there's no real overflow — you're just out of luck or doubling back to another access point.

The Manistee through this stretch has downed trees and sweepers that will knock you sideways if you're not paying attention. In lower water conditions — late summer especially — you'll also hit mucky, shallow sections that can turn a casual float into a nine-hour slog. Know the water level before you commit to the longer runs.

Once school starts back up in early September, this place clears out dramatically. Weekdays after that you can practically have the river to yourself. The trout fishing picks up in fall too, and the scenery along this stretch is hard to beat with the colors coming in.

Traverse City State Park administers it, but it operates more like a private livery with a launch tacked on. Don't expect a manicured DNR-style ramp — this is rustic. Works fine for kayaks, canoes, and smaller johnboats, but I wouldn't try to muscle anything over 16 feet through here.