Boat Ramps Nearby

Kayak & canoe launches in Michigan

We list 136 kayak launches in 72 towns across Michigan. These are places to carry a kayak, canoe or paddleboard to the water.

Milford 7

Mount Pleasant 7

Detroit 6

Manton 6

Manistee 5

Mio 5

Elk Rapids 4

Fremont 4

Keego Harbor 4

Kingsley 4

Middleville 4

Rochester 4

Grand Rapids 3

Lewiston 3

Waterford 3

Brighton 2

Flat Rock 2

Holly 2

Lake Orion 2

Lakewood Club 2

Marquette 2

Niles 2

Petoskey 2

Roscommon 2

Walled Lake 2

Albion 1

Alma 1

Alpena 1

Ann Arbor 1

Auburn Hills 1

Battle Creek 1

Belding 1

Bellaire 1

Bessemer 1

Caledonia 1

Cheboygan 1

Chesaning 1

Clinton Township 1

Coloma 1

Dexter 1

Douglas 1

Dundee 1

Durand 1

Fenton 1

Ferrysburg 1

Gaylord 1

Grandville 1

Greenville 1

Hartford 1

Indian River 1

Jenison 1

Kalkaska 1

Lansing 1

Livonia 1

Midland 1

Montague 1

New Buffalo 1

North Branch 1

Orchard Lake 1

Port Huron 1

Portland 1

Rockford 1

Romulus 1

Saint Helen 1

Saint Ignace 1

South Lyon 1

Sterling Heights 1

Traverse City 1

Twin Lake 1

Union City 1

West Bloomfield Township 1

Zeeland 1

Illustration: a paddler in a life jacket stepping from a low dock into a kayak
Illustration, not a photo of a specific place in Michigan

Michigan rules to know

Kayak & canoe launches by city in Michigan

Kayak & canoe launches in Michigan: questions and answers

Where are the kayak launches in Michigan?

We list 136 kayak launches in Michigan, most of them around Milford (7), Mount Pleasant (7), Detroit (6) and Manton (6).

Which lakes and rivers have kayak launches in Michigan?

Among others Manistee River, Huron River, Clinton River, Chippewa River and Thornapple River.

Do kayaks need to be registered in Michigan?

Check with the Michigan boating agency. Many states don't register non-motorized kayaks, but some require a permit at state launches or an invasive species sticker.

Do you need a life jacket to kayak in Michigan?

Yes. Federal rules require a wearable, Coast Guard approved life jacket for every person on a kayak or canoe, and children under 13 must wear it unless the state sets another age.

Are there free kayak launches in Michigan?

28 of the 136 are marked free in the map data, including BW3's Kayak & Canoe Launch, McDonald Lake Boat Launch and Island Lake State Recreation Area Kayak Launch.

Other states

Guide: How to launch a kayak or canoe · All boat ramps in Michigan