Lake Mecosta Boat Launch

Twenty-two trailer spots sounds okay until a summer Saturday hits — the lot fills by mid-morning. Amish buggies and rigs without trailers eat up spaces quick, so you'll end up jockeying for a spot or parking on the shoulder if you show up after 10 AM on weekends or holidays.

There's bent metal submerged near the ramp area. It's not immediately obvious from the dock, so take it slow backing in and watch your prop on the way out. Not a dealbreaker, but it'll ruin your day if you snag it with a lower unit.

The whole launch area is paved, which puts it a notch above a lot of the smaller Mecosta County launches. Two lanes handle normal weekday traffic fine, and the dock makes solo launching pretty painless. Kayaks slide in easy off to the side.

This lake gets heavy use and the launch really should have four lanes for what it handles. If you want a stress-free experience, go Tuesday through Thursday. Weekend mornings before 9 are doable, but by afternoon you're fighting for ramp time and parking alike.