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Boat Launch Finder

Boat Launches in Illinois

Public boat launches across Illinois, on a map, with the water each one sits on. Add your own from the app.

  • Free to browse
  • Public ramps from USGS data
  • Open in the app to save and track

Boat launch access

Launching a boat in Illinois

Boating Hubs maps 584 boat launches in Illinois across 223 named waters. 516 are public access, and 68 are semi-private, so access may be limited to residents, members or permit holders. Every launch on this page carries its coordinates, so you can route to the ramp rather than to the lake.

Common questions about Illinois boat launches

How many public boat launches are there in Illinois?
Boating Hubs maps 584 boat launches in Illinois across 223 named waters. 516 are public access and 68 are semi-private, meaning access may be limited to residents, members or permit holders.
Which waters in Illinois have the most boat launches?
By mapped launch count: Illinois River (49), Mississippi River (48), Rend Lake (22), Lake Shelbyville (16) and Crab Orchard Lake (14). Counts are the number of separate ramps on each water, not the number of lanes.
Is there a fee to use boat launches in Illinois?
Launch fees are set by whoever manages the ramp, and Boating Hubs does not hold fee data for Illinois yet, so check the managing agency or marina before you tow. Ramps marked semi-private may also require a permit or membership.

Launch data from the USGS National Boat Ramps dataset, released into the public domain (CC0). Confirm ramp conditions, fees, and seasonal access locally before you launch.