Pentwater Municipal Boat Launch

It's $10 to launch, cash or check only — old school honor box system. The envelope setup is a little confusing, so have your $10 ready before you get out of the truck. No change machine, no card reader.

The ramp runs shallow, especially later in summer. You'll need to back your trailer well into the water to float anything of size. I'd keep it to 22 feet and under here — bigger boats can technically get in, but it's tight and you're fighting depth the whole time.

Only about six marked trailer spots, and even counting the informal overflow areas you're maybe looking at 20 truck-and-trailer combos max. On a sunny Saturday in July, spots disappear fast. Get there early or have a plan to drop and park elsewhere in the village.

Pentwater Lake is small water, and holiday weekends turn it into a bumper-car arena. Lots of novice boaters out there — jet skis, pontoons, kayakers all sharing tight quarters. Weekday mornings are a completely different experience.

If you're paddling, this is the spot. Kayak racks on-site, easy put-in, and you can paddle the river upstream or head out the channel to Lake Michigan. The pavilion is a nice touch for staging gear. Just don't expect restrooms — there are none.