Mendon Boat Launch

No concrete here — it's a dirt launch, so after a good rain it gets slick and rutted. If you've got a heavier boat, you'll want decent tires and maybe a spotter. Lighter aluminum boats and kayaks handle it just fine.

For a single-lane dirt ramp, the parking area is surprisingly generous. Twelve trailer spots on paper, but the gravel lot has enough room that you won't feel squeezed even on a Saturday morning. I've never seen it full.

This spot barely gets traffic compared to launches further downstream toward South Bend. You can show up mid-morning on a summer weekend and still have the ramp to yourself. Great for a no-stress put-in on the St. Joe.

The St. Joe can fluctuate quite a bit through here, especially in spring. When it's running high, the dirt ramp gets partially submerged and the current picks up right at the launch. During late summer low water, you might scrape bottom backing in — stick to shallower-draft boats.

This site dates back to a 1958 federal acquisition, and honestly it still feels like it. Basic restrooms are on-site, which is a nice bonus, but don't expect anything fancy. It's a solid utility launch for fishing the upper St. Joe — just not a place you'd bring a 21-foot walleye rig.