Craft & Seasonality
✓
Motorboat ✓
Kayak / Canoe ✓
Jet Ski / PWC ✓
Large 22ft+ *
Winter Access * Winter: Possible but unreliable
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 Parking44 spots · gravel
Crowding Extremely busy summer weekends and holidays. Expect hour-long waits on the 4th of July. Rental companies add volume.
Plan B — if this lot is full Torch River Bridge (1 mi north, also 2 lanes)
Eastport (north end of Torch Lake, 35 spots)
Eastport (north end of Torch Lake, 35 spots)
FeeMI Recreation Passport or $12 daily launch fee
Hours4 AM – 11 PM
SeasonSpring – Fall
RestroomsPortable toilet (1)
PierYes
AIS StationDecontamination tools on-site
AccessibilityAccessible pier and restrooms. Parking and pedestrian routes not confirmed accessible.
Not Available Fish cleaning · Fishing pier
Scout's Notes
Ramp Quirks & Etiquette
Crowding
Peak weekends and holidays are brutal here. Multiple boaters describe hour-long waits at the ramp on summer holidays. The 4th of July is the worst — Kalkaska County Sheriff and MSP were on-site in 2025 directing traffic. Rental companies add significant volume. Arrive early or plan around it.
Parking Friction
Non-trailer vehicles regularly take up trailer spots — this is a chronic, years-long complaint. The lot is gravel with 44 marked spots, but summer weekends still overflow. You can park on the roadside shoulder but stay completely off the asphalt or you'll get ticketed.
Submerged Hazard
Old dock pilings sit just below the surface on the north (right) side of the launch area. Stay center or left until you're in the main channel. Multiple reports spanning several years — these are permanent obstacles, not seasonal debris.
Seasonal Dock
The pier gets pulled mid-November and reinstalled in spring. The ramp itself stays open year-round, but without the dock, solo loading in cold weather is significantly harder.
Sources: Google Reviews (2018–2025), Michigan Water Trails data, DNR site records
About This Lake
Torch Lake →