John Gurney Park

One lane with only 8 trailer spots, and the trailer parking is tucked to the southeast near the south park entrance — not right at the ramp. On summer weekends you'll be jockeying with campground traffic, kayakers, and swimmers all sharing the same waterfront. Get there early or plan for a weekday.

If you're coming in off Woodlawn Avenue with a boat trailer, do NOT drive under the arch. Hook a right on Kathryn Street before it and come around on Eastern Park Road. The arch clearance will ruin your day if you've got anything on a trailer with any height to it.

Hart Lake is a modest body of water — this is kayak, canoe, and small fishing boat territory. You're not putting a 20-footer in here. Perfect for a jon boat chasing perch, but don't show up expecting open water.

The swimming area and near-shore zone have had weed problems for years now, and it hasn't gotten much better. Expect vegetation around the ramp area too, especially by mid-summer. A weedless prop setup is your friend here.

This is primarily an RV park and campground that happens to have a boat launch, not the other way around. During holiday weekends — especially 4th of July and Labor Day — the whole park gets busy with families, bikes, and foot traffic near the water. If Double JJ resort down the road is running a music festival, the overflow crowd makes it even worse.