Loon Lake Access

Loon Lake Access is a developed boat and fishing stop just off M-22 at the north end of Loon Lake, close to the Platte River crossing. There’s a paved ramp, an accessible fishing dock, and a separate accessible canoe and kayak launch. Come to get on the water, fish, or picnic. The bottom near the ramp is firm and sandy for wading, but there is no beach for swimming.

Motorboats are permitted, but limited to 5 mph. A park pass is required for all inland-lake use, and pets must stay on a six-foot leash. Cars and boat trailers have ample parking; the access also has flush restrooms, picnic tables, and a pavilion. This works best as a slow, practical launch or a picnic break, not as a beach day.

Canoes, kayaks, and tubes cross the north end of the lake on the way down the Platte River, and you can watch them from the accessible dock. Fishing species include northern pike, walleye, bass, and bluegill. In late summer, coho salmon may pass through on their way toward the fish hatchery. It’s a useful stop if you want to fish, paddle, or watch the river traffic come through.

A tactile wayside beside the fishing-pier entrance explains how advancing and retreating glacial lobes reshaped this area. Their movement left old beaches and moraines around the Platte Lake depression and made Lake Michigan levels rise and fall. Take a few minutes with the exhibit before you launch; it gives this small access a longer story than the dock and ramp.