Winter Haven Boat Ramps: Open Or Closed?

Winter Haven, Florida, is known as the Chain of Lakes City, with 50 lakes inside the city limits, 22 boat ramps, 14 public docks, and 30 waterfront parks. In April 2020, the Winter Haven City Commission closed the city's boat ramps, parks, and playgrounds to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. However, some boat ramps within the city that are maintained by the Lake Region Lakes Management District and Polk County remained open. These included boat ramps on lakes Elbert, Buckeye, Conine, Otis, Fannie, Mariam, Pansy, and Ned. Winter Haven is a popular destination for boating, skiing, and fishing, with its unique series of 16 lakes connected by navigable canals.

Lake Shipp Park has a boat ramp

Lake Shipp is located on the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes in Florida. It is a natural freshwater lake with a 276-acre surface area. Lake Shipp Park, also known as Sertoma Park, is on the west side of the lake.

In addition to Lake Shipp Park, there are other public boat ramps within Winter Haven that are not controlled by the city and remain open. These include boat ramps on lakes Elbert, Buckeye, Conine, Otis, Fannie, Mariam, Pansy, and Ned, which are controlled by the Lake Region Lakes Management District board. There are also county-controlled boat ramps on lakes Summit and Roy that remain open.

It is important to note that the City of Winter Haven previously closed some boat ramps and docks on Lake Shipp and other lakes in 2020 due to public safety concerns and to prevent the spread of COVID-19. As of April 2020, the Lake Region Lakes Management District board warned that overuse of their boat ramps would result in closure.

Lake Howard's boat ramp closed

Lake Howard is a prominent lake in Winter Haven's Chain of Lakes. The city of Winter Haven closed the east side boat ramp on Lake Howard in April 2020 to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Chain of Lakes Trail and the Lake Howard Trail remained open for walking or biking while adhering to social distancing standards.

The Lake Region Lakes Management District board controls boat ramps on several other lakes in the area, including Elbert, Buckeye, Conine, Otis, Fannie, Mariam, Pansy, and Ned, which remained open at the time of the Lake Howard ramp closure. The city of Winter Haven also does not control the county-managed boat ramps on lakes Summit and Roy, which were also open.

Lake Howard is part of the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes, which consists of 16 lakes connected by navigable canals. The Chain of Lakes is widely recognized as the world's water skiing capital and offers various activities such as boating, skiing, and fishing. Lake Howard itself has a surface area of 624 acres.

Public boat ramps are available at many places along the lakeshores, some in conjunction with beaches, fishing piers, recreational facilities, and picnic grounds. Lake Shipp Park, an 18-acre city park on Lake Shipp, has a boat ramp and picnic tables. Lake Cannon Park, located on Lake Cannon, also features picnic and launch facilities.

Lake Silver's boat ramp closed

In April 2020, the Winter Haven City Commission voted to close the city's parks, playgrounds, and boat ramps to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. As a result, the boat ramps on Lake Silver were closed to the public. The Lake Region Lakes Management District board controls boat ramps on other lakes in the area, such as Elbert, Buckeye, Conine, Otis, Fannie, Mariam, Pansy, and Ned, which remained open at the time.

The Lake Silver boat ramp closure was part of a broader effort to slow "big parties on the lakes," as mentioned by Winter Haven Mayor Brad Dantzler. The city also closed two boat ramp docks on Lake Shipp and the east side ramp on Lake Howard.

There are alternative boat launch options available in other locations, such as Silver Lake in Washington, which has a public boat launch, and Silver Lake in Connecticut, which has a boat launch on Norton Lane. However, users have expressed dissatisfaction with the facilities at these locations, particularly the lack of a proper dock at the Kerr Road ramp.

It is important to note that boat ramp closures may change over time, and it is always a good idea to check for the most recent updates and information before planning a trip. Additionally, some boat ramps may be subject to seasonal closures, such as the Silver Lake Boat Ramp in Lassen National Forest, which closes upon the first snowfall.

Lake Hartridge's boat ramp closed

Lake Hartridge is one of the many lakes regarded as part of the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes. The City of Winter Haven closed the boat ramps on Lake Hartridge, along with Lake Shipp, the east side of Lake Howard, and Lake Silver, in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and slow "big parties on the lakes."

The Winter Haven Chain of Lakes is a boater's paradise, widely recognised as the world's water skiing capital. It is a unique series of 16 lakes connected by navigable canals, with the city limits touching or surrounding more than 30 lakes. The Lakes Management District manages the canals and public access to the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes.

While the boat ramps on Lake Hartridge are closed, there are still several other boat ramps available for public use in Winter Haven. These include boat ramps on Lake Summit, Lake Shipp, Lake Howard, Lake Cannon, and Lake Hartridge, which provide access to the South Chain of Lakes. The North Chain can be accessed through Lake Conine, Lake Rochelle, and Lake Haines.

In addition to the public boat ramps, there are also community boat ramps available in some residential areas. These community boat ramps often provide access to lakes within or bordering the city limits of Winter Haven, of which there are 26, in addition to the 24 lakes in the Chain of Lakes.

Lake Shipp's boat ramp docks closed

Lake Shipp, a lake in Winter Haven, Florida, is part of the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes, which is widely recognised as the world's water skiing capital. The Chain of Lakes is a boater's paradise, with 16 lakes connected by navigable canals.

On April 6, 2020, the Winter Haven City Commission held a special meeting to discuss public safety concerns. At this meeting, commissioners voted to close the city's parks, playgrounds, and boat ramps, including the two boat ramp docks on Lake Shipp, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Lake Region Lakes Management District board controls boat ramps on several other lakes in the area, which remained open at the time.

The City of Winter Haven closed the two boat ramp docks on Lake Shipp, along with the east side ramp on Lake Howard and boat ramps on Lakes Silver and Hartridge. This was done to slow "big parties on the lakes," as mentioned by Winter Haven Mayor Brad Dantzler.

Lake Shipp Park, an 18-acre city park located on Lake Shipp, offers a boat ramp and picnic tables for visitors. The park is a popular spot for boating, skiing, and fishing enthusiasts.

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