Chinquapin
Provides access to Northeast Cape Fear River. Located in Duplin County. Public access.
Lake Mackintosh Marina
🌊 Big Alamance Creek (Lake Mackintosh)
📍 Burlington, NC
View Details →Find a Boat Ramp
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Boat Ramps in North Carolina
Discover 410 public boat launches, ramps, and marina access points throughout North Carolina. Find the perfect launch site for your next boating adventure.
410
Total Boat Ramps
Brunswick County
13 ramps - Most in County
100
Counties Covered
North Carolina Boating - Sounds, Piedmont & Mountains
North Carolina's boating divides naturally between the mountains, the piedmont lakes, and the coast, and all three are worth understanding separately.
The coast is the one that gets the most attention nationally, and for good reason. The Outer Banks create a unique boating environment where the sounds behind the barrier islands, Pamlico, Albemarle, Core, and Bogue, offer hundreds of square miles of protected shallow water, and the inlets provide access to the open Atlantic. Pamlico Sound is the largest lagoon on the East Coast and can generate serious wave conditions in strong wind despite being a sound rather than open ocean. Don't underestimate it.
The Cape Fear River and the Intracoastal Waterway running through the Wilmington area provides access for transient cruisers and local recreational boaters. The ICW through North Carolina is popular with the snowbird cruising crowd moving between the Northeast and Florida in spring and fall.
The piedmont lake system, Jordan Lake, Falls Lake, Kerr Reservoir, Badin Lake, and others, serves the Triangle and Charlotte metro populations with good reservoir boating. Kerr Reservoir on the Virginia border is one of the largest in the region and has solid ramp infrastructure with excellent striper fishing.
Western North Carolina's mountain lakes, Fontana, Nantahala, and Hiwassee, are managed by TVA and the Forest Service and have ramp access, though Fontana in particular is large enough and remote enough to demand self-sufficiency.
NC Wildlife Resources Commission manages the majority of public boat access sites statewide, and most are free to use with a valid registration.
Complete Guide to Boating in North Carolina
Discover the best boat ramps, popular water bodies, boating regulations, and essential information for North Carolina.
Read the Full Guide →Featured Boat Ramps in North Carolina
Boat Ramp at Pembroke Creek
🌊 Chowan River (Pembroke Creek)
📍 Edenton, NC
View Details →Choanoke Shores Boat Ramp
🌊 Chowan River
📍 Hertford County, NC
View Details →Bear Creek
🌊 Tuckasegee River (Bear Creek Lake)
📍 Jackson County, NC
View Details →Lake Lure / Washburn Marina
🌊 Lake Lure
📍 Lake Lure, NC
View Details →Satterwhite Boat Ramp at Kerr Lake
🌊 Roanoke River (John H. Kerr Reservoir)
📍 Vance County, NC
View Details →Browse by County
Brunswick County
13 rampsJackson County
12 rampsCraven County
12 rampsCarteret County
12 rampsChatham County
11 rampsDare County
10 rampsOnslow County
10 rampsNew Hanover County
10 rampsVance County
10 rampsBladen County
9 rampsWilkes
9 rampsBeaufort County
8 rampsMontgomery County
8 rampsCherokee County
8 rampsSwain County
8 rampsCarteret
8 rampsCurrituck County
7 rampsIredell County
6 rampsMecklenburg County
6 rampsHyde County
6 rampsWake County
6 rampsStanly County
6 rampsMontgomery
6 rampsHalifax County
5 rampsDavidson County
5 rampsGaston County
5 rampsPasquotank County
5 rampsPerquimans County
5 rampsWayne County
5 rampsPender County
5 rampsHertford County
5 rampsWilkes County
5 rampsGraham
5 rampsPitt County
4 rampsWarren County
4 rampsDurham County
4 rampsRichmond County
4 rampsCaldwell County
4 rampsBurke County
4 rampsGraham County
4 rampsMacon County
4 rampsTyrrell County
4 rampsWashington County
4 rampsChowan County
4 rampsPamlico County
4 rampsRobeson County
4 rampsEdgecombe County
4 rampsMartin County
3 rampsNorthampton County
3 rampsDavie County
3 rampsLincoln County
3 rampsCatawba County
3 rampsClay County
3 rampsJones County
3 rampsDuplin County
3 rampsBertie County
3 rampsCumberland County
3 rampsRockingham County
3 rampsPerson County
3 rampsGates County
3 rampsRowan County
3 rampsNash County
3 rampsYadkin County
3 rampsDare
3 rampsAlexander County
2 rampsMcDowell County
2 rampsCamden County
2 rampsJohnston County
2 rampsGreene County
2 rampsColumbus County
2 rampsCaswell County
2 rampsAnson County
2 rampsHenderson County
2 rampsRutherford County
2 rampsScotland County
2 rampsGranville County
2 rampsMacon
2 rampsWatauga
2 rampsHyde
2 rampsSwain
2 rampsHarnett County
1 rampHoke County
1 rampSampson County
1 rampStokes County
1 rampForsyth County
1 rampPolk County
1 rampSurry County
1 rampLenoir County
1 rampTransylvania County
1 rampBuncombe County
1 rampGuilford County
1 rampAlamance County
1 rampTransylvania
1 rampJackson
1 rampClay
1 rampAmherst
1 rampOnslow
1 rampMadison
1 rampCraven
1 rampJones
1 rampAbout Boating in North Carolina
North Carolina offers excellent boating opportunities with 410 boat ramps across the state. Whether you're looking to launch on lakes, rivers, or coastal waters, our directory helps you find the perfect access point for your watercraft.
Finding the Right Boat Ramp
When selecting a boat ramp in North Carolina, consider these factors:
- Number of launch lanes to avoid congestion during peak times
- Parking availability for vehicles and boat trailers
- Launch fees - many public ramps are free to use
- Ramp surface condition (concrete, asphalt, or gravel)
- Hours of operation and seasonal accessibility
- Nearby amenities like restrooms, fish cleaning stations, and bait shops
Explore All Ramps Below
Browse our complete directory of boat ramps in North Carolina below. Use the filters to narrow your search by county or specific features you need.
Powerhouse Site
Provides access to West Fork Tuckaseegee River (Thorpe Lake). Located in Jackson County. Public access.
Coinjock
Provides access to Unnamed Canal (Intracoastal Waterway). Located in Waterlily, NC. Public access.
Columbia
Provides access to Unnamed Canal (Scuppernong River). Located in Columbia, NC. Public access.
Ledfords Chapel
Provides access to Hiwassee River (Chatuge Lake). Located in Clay County. Public access.
Tsali
Provides access to Little Tennessee River (Fontana Lake). Located in Swain County. Public access.
Wolf Creek
Provides access to Wolf Creek (Wolf Creek Lake). Located in Jackson County. Public access.
Cheoah Point
Provides access to Cheoah River (Lake Santeetlah). Located in Graham County. Public access.
Cable Cove
Provides access to Little Tennessee River (Fontana Lake). Located in Graham County. Public access.
Pine Creek
Provides access to West Fork Tuckaseegee River (Thorpe Lake). Located in Jackson County. Public access.
Hanging Dog
Provides access to Hiwassee River (Hiwassee Lake). Located in Cherokee County. Public access.