Boat ramps on measured US lakes
Named launches from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, each within about 3 miles of a lake with nutrient and algae readings on record. The readings describe the water; the ramp is how you get on it.
7,607 lakes have a named ramp across 49 states (United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs.).For a ranking of the big-water boating lakes, see best boating lakes.
| Rank | Lake | County | State | Ramps | Nearest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greers Ferry Lake | Cleburne | AR | 12 | Devils Fork Campground (1.2 km) |
| 2 | Lake Meredith | Hutchinson | TX | 6 | Sanford-Yake (0.3 km) |
| 3 | Lake Alan Henry | Garza | TX | 6 | Dam Site (1.2 km) |
| 4 | Lake C W Mcconaughy | Keith | NE | 6 | Martin Bay Low Water (1.5 km) |
| 5 | Beaver Lake | Carroll | AR | 7 | Dicks Creek (2.5 km) |
| 6 | Melvern Lake | Osage | KS | 6 | Melvern Lake Marina (0.9 km) |
| 7 | Lake Tahoe | Washoe | NV | 5 | Lake Tahoe - Crystal Bay (0.1 km) |
| 8 | Lake Tahoe | Douglas | NV | 5 | Lake Tahoe - Zephyr Cove Marina (0.2 km) |
| 9 | Pueblo Reservoir | Pueblo | CO | 5 | Lake Pueblo State Park - Northshore Marina (0.3 km) |
| 10 | Pokegama Lake | Itasca | MN | 5 | Kings Landing (1.4 km) |
| 11 | Burntside Lake | St. Louis | MN | 5 | County Road 404 (1.6 km) |
| 12 | Flathead Lake | Flathead | MT | 5 | Eagle Bend Yacht Harbour (3.6 km) |
| 13 | Geneva Lake | Walworth | WI | 6 | Chapin Road (2.1 km) |
| 14 | Timothy Lake | Clackamas | OR | 4 | Pine Point Campground (0.0 km) |
| 15 | Hugh Butler Lake | Frontier | NE | 4 | Willow View Camp Ground (0.5 km) |
| 16 | Ida Lake | Douglas | MN | 4 | East Pilgrim Point (1.9 km) |
| 17 | Flathead Lake | Flathead | MT | 4 | Lakeside-Bierney Creek Road (3.3 km) |
| 18 | Malletts Bay Lake | Chittenden | VT | 4 | Malletts Bay (2.5 km) |
| 19 | Lake of the Woods | Klamath | OR | 3 | Rainbow Bay (0.0 km) |
| 20 | Applegate Lake | Jackson | OR | 3 | Hart-Tish (0.1 km) |
| 21 | Green Peter Lake | Linn | OR | 3 | Thistle Creek (0.1 km) |
| 22 | Highline Lake | Mesa | CO | 3 | Highline Lake State Park (0.4 km) |
| 23 | Big Marine Lake | Washington | MN | 3 | Big Marine Lake (South) (0.4 km) |
| 24 | Dam Lake | Alleghany | VA | 3 | Coles Point (0.4 km) |
| 25 | Whitefish Lake | Flathead | MT | 3 | Baypoint Drive (0.5 km) |
| 26 | Goose Point Lake | Franklin | VA | 3 | Beech Point (0.5 km) |
| 27 | Round Lake | Sawyer | WI | 3 | Round Lake (0.9 km) |
| 28 | Jay Gould Lake | Itasca | MN | 3 | Jay Gould Lake (0.9 km) |
| 29 | Fall Lake | Lake | MN | 3 | Fall Lake (Central) (1.1 km) |
| 30 | Conchas Reservoir | San Miguel | NM | 3 | Conchas Lake State Park - Southside Recreation Area (1.1 km) |
| 31 | Grindstone Lake | Sawyer | WI | 3 | Grindstone Lake (1.2 km) |
| 32 | Maple Lake | Douglas | MN | 3 | Maple Lake (North) (1.4 km) |
| 33 | Green Lake | Kandiyohi | MN | 3 | Green Lake (Northwest) (1.5 km) |
| 34 | Bemidji Lake | Beltrami | MN | 3 | Lake Bemidji State Park (1.6 km) |
| 35 | Detroit Lake | Becker | MN | 3 | Detroit Lake (Northcentral) (1.7 km) |
| 36 | Dead Lake | Otter Tail | MN | 3 | Dead Lake (Southeast) (2.0 km) |
| 37 | Schram Lake | Beltrami | MN | 3 | Knutson Dam (2.8 km) |
| 38 | Gull Lake | Cass | MN | 3 | Government Point (3.4 km) |
| 39 | Seneca Lake Platform | Seneca | NY | 3 | Seneca Lake State Park, Mile 17.1 (3.5 km) |
| 40 | Headquarters Bay Lake | Cass | MN | 5 | Pikedale Resort (4.0 km) |
| 41 | Banks Lake | Grant | WA | 4 | Coulee Playland Resort (0.6 km) |
| 42 | Table Rock Lake | Stone | MO | 4 | Cow Creek Park (0.7 km) |
| 43 | Lake Hawkins | Wood | TX | 3 | Lake Hawkins at Dam (0.4 km) |
| 44 | Sherman Reservoir | Sherman | NE | 3 | Marina Bay (0.5 km) |
| 45 | Catherine Lake | Lake | IL | 3 | Fox Chain O'Lakes (0.6 km) |
| 46 | White Bear Lake | Washington | MN | 3 | White Bear Yacht Club (1.7 km) |
| 47 | Houghton Lake | Roscommon | MI | 3 | Houghton Lake (3.2 km) |
| 48 | Galesville Reservoir | Douglas | OR | 2 | Chief Milwaleta Day Use Park (0.1 km) |
| 49 | Lake Cisco | Eastland | TX | 2 | Lake Cisco (0.1 km) |
| 50 | Rabbit Lake | Crow Wing | MN | 2 | Rabbit Lake (0.1 km) |
Frequently Asked Questions
What counts as a boat ramp here?
A named launch site in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory that sits within about 3 miles of a lake with water-quality readings on record. 7,607 lakes currently have at least one named ramp. Where USGS lists launches but no name, the lake page gives the count rather than guessing a name.
How is this different from the best boating lakes ranking?
The boating ranking covers large lakes — 200 acres and up with a public launch — ordered on agency water-quality readings. This page lists the individual named ramps instead, the same names shown in each lake’s Recreation & Access section. There are no separate pages for individual ramps.
Are these ramps open to the public?
USGS marks each site Public or Semi-private. Lake pages show that flag next to the name. Confirm hours, fees, and trailer access with the managing agency before you go.
Top lakes with boat ramps
Plan your lake trip
Large waters with public launches, ranked on agency readings
Public campgrounds within about 3 miles
Cabins and rentals on measured lakes
Every Minnesota lake with its published measurements
Every Wisconsin lake with its published measurements
Source: USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Ramps matched to lakes within 5 km (about 3 miles). U.S. government work.