Harley Ensign Memorial Boat Launch

Eighteen lanes and 323 trailer spots — even on a Fourth of July weekend I've never sat in a backup here. It's the gold standard for Lake St. Clair access and makes launches like St. Jean feel like a bottleneck.

When the wind shifts and pushes weed mats onto the ramps, retrieving your boat without 4WD can be a real struggle. This tends to happen more in late summer and early fall. Give the ramp surface a look before you back down.

The drainage in the parking lot is rough — after any decent rain, a quarter of the lot can be underwater. The low spots collect water fast, so after a storm you'll want to be selective about where you park your trailer.

Private boats coming through the Clinton River channel create serious chop, especially on busy summer weekends. If you're launching a smaller craft — kayak, jon boat — stick to calmer mornings before the pleasure boat parade starts. The no-wake zone helps but doesn't stop the wakes from stacking up.

Non-trailer vehicles constantly take the long pull-through spots meant for rigs. Dedicated car-only parking runs along the south shore of the launch area. On a packed Saturday this mix-up can cost you 20 minutes circling, so know where you're headed before you pull in.