Peter Copeyon Park

When lake levels are up — especially spring and early fall — the bottom of the ramp sits under 8-10 inches of water. You'll be standing in it when you unhook your trailer. Bring knee-high boots or water shoes unless you want to spend the day in soggy socks.

There's almost no signage about paid parking. The city will happily ticket you while you're out on the water. Look for the pay station near the lot entrance — it's easy to miss, and nobody's going to warn you.

This spot catches wind harder than most places in Ludington. Pere Marquette Lake funnels it right through here, so loading and unloading on a breezy day takes some patience. Smaller boats can get pushed around at the dock.

With four lanes and 57 trailer spots, weekday launches are a breeze. Summer weekends — especially Saturday mornings during salmon season — things tighten up, but it never gets as chaotic as some single-lane launches up the coast. You can usually get in and out within 15 minutes.

The skid piers alongside the ramp aren't usable, so you're relying on the courtesy dock to tie off while you park. During peak times that dock gets congested fast — have someone stay with the boat or you'll be circling back to find it drifting.