Boat Ramps Nearby
Illustration Life jackets
The life jacket rule for every paddler
What the Coast Guard requires on kayaks and canoes, and kids' vests with head support.
Life jacket rulesWhere are you launching today?
Every dot on the map is a public spot to get on the water: boat ramps for trailers, kayak and canoe launches, and fishing piers. Enter your city or ZIP code to see the closest ones and which lake, river or bay they're on.
- Launches
- 10,214
- Kayak launch
- 1,395
- Fishing pier
- 915
Illustration 
Illustration Ramp etiquette
12 rules regulars expect you to know
Staging, courtesy docks and the Clean, Drain, Dry laws that can bring a fine.
Ramp etiquetteLaunches by type
Cities with the most launches
- Newberry, MI48
- Iron River, MI33
- Ely, MN31
- Shokan, NY30
- Munising, MI25
- Manistique, MI24
- Seattle, WA24
- Winona, MO23
- Chicago, IL22
- Farmerville, LA22
- Minneapolis, MN22
- Chattanooga, TN21
- Eagle River, WI21
- Ina, IL21
- South Padre Island, TX21
- Crystal Falls, MI20
- Tallahassee, FL20
- Gaylord, MI19
- Saint Paul, MN19
- Wakefield, MI19
- Waldport, OR19
- Cheboygan, MI18
- Jacksonville, FL18
- Pittsburgh, PA18
Boat ramps by state
- Alabama 182
- Alaska 67
- Arizona 46
- Arkansas 105
- California 229
- Colorado 93
- Connecticut 117
- Delaware 29
- District of Columbia 1
- Florida 583
- Georgia 205
- Hawaii 18
- Idaho 141
- Illinois 398
- Indiana 148
- Iowa 232
- Kansas 119
- Kentucky 192
- Louisiana 84
- Maine 279
- Maryland 117
- Massachusetts 181
- Michigan 1271
- Minnesota 373
- Mississippi 39
- Missouri 550
- Montana 173
- Nebraska 59
- Nevada 10
- New Hampshire 164
- New Jersey 111
- New Mexico 22
- New York 596
- North Carolina 258
- North Dakota 37
- Ohio 202
- Oklahoma 57
- Oregon 239
- Pennsylvania 295
- Rhode Island 23
- South Carolina 133
- South Dakota 47
- Tennessee 214
- Texas 289
- Utah 75
- Vermont 112
- Virginia 190
- Washington 607
- West Virginia 73
- Wisconsin 402
- Wyoming 27
Other ways onto the water
- Fishing piers 915
Find a public boat ramp near you
Boat Ramps Nearby maps 10,214 public places to get on the water in 4,208 US cities: 8,558 boat ramps for trailered boats, 1,395 kayak and canoe launches and 915 fishing piers and fishing access sites. Type your city or ZIP code and the closest launches come up first, with the lake, river or bay they serve where the name tells us.
Every launch has its own page with the address or map pin, the launch fee where we know it, surface, lanes, restrooms and parking from the map data, plus the closest alternatives in case the lot is full. City pages group all launches in and around a town, and state pages show where the ramps cluster.
Where the data comes from
The launches come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers. We keep places that are clearly public and drop ramps marked private, members-only or at a business. Unnamed ramps stay only when there is a sign of public access, such as a park, an agency as operator or a posted fee. Those get a descriptive name like the park they sit in.
Fees, hours and closures change, and open data is never complete. Check the signs or the agency that runs a ramp before a long drive, and tell us if a launch is missing or closed.
Before you go
New to launching? Our step-by-step guides cover launching from a trailer, loading the boat back on, ramp etiquette and invasive species laws, kayak launches, pier fishing and launch fees and permits.
Boat ramps: questions and answers
How do I find a boat ramp near me?
Enter your city or ZIP code in the search box or open the map. Launches are sorted by distance, and every listing links to directions.
Are public boat ramps free?
Many are, especially city, county and state wildlife ramps. 851 launches on our map are marked free. State parks and Army Corps of Engineers lakes often charge a day-use fee, usually at least $5 per vehicle at Corps lakes.
Can I launch a kayak at a boat ramp?
Usually yes. Load at the side of the ramp or the end of the dock so trailers can use the lane. We also list 1,395 dedicated kayak and canoe launches.
Do I need a fishing license on a pier?
In most states, yes. California needs no license on public piers, and Florida and North Carolina piers with a pier or blanket license cover anglers on that pier.
What is Clean, Drain, Dry?
A national campaign to stop invasive mussels and plants. Before leaving a launch, clean off plants and mud, drain all water and dry your gear. Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin make draining the boat a legal requirement.