Boat Ramps Nearby
Illustration Life jackets
The life jacket rule for every paddler
What the Coast Guard requires on kayaks and canoes, and kids' vests with head support.
Life jacket rulesKayak & canoe launches in San Francisco, CA
We know of one kayak launch in and around San Francisco. A kayak launch gets you on the water without backing a trailer down a ramp. Expect a low floating dock, rollers or a soft shoreline. 2 more are within 50 miles.
- 11 mi
Boat Ramp Street Slipway
Richmond - 19 mi
Eden landing Kayak Launch
Hayward - 44 mi
Vasona Reservoir
Los Gatos
Boat ramps near San Francisco
- Mission Creek Park Fishing Pier San Francisco, 1.3 mi
- Keel Park San Francisco, 2 mi
- Kitesurf launch San Francisco, 2.8 mi
- Torpedo Wharf San Francisco, 3.6 mi
- John McLaren Park Boat Ramp San Francisco, 3.7 mi
- Lake Merced Park Boat Ramp San Francisco, 5.5 mi
Illustration 
Illustration Ramp etiquette
12 rules regulars expect you to know
Staging, courtesy docks and the Clean, Drain, Dry laws that can bring a fine.
Ramp etiquetteKayak & canoe launches in San Francisco: questions and answers
Is there kayak & canoe launches in San Francisco?
In and around San Francisco we know of Boat Ramp Street Slipway in Richmond.
What other kayak launches are near San Francisco?
Within 50 miles: Eden landing Kayak Launch (Hayward, 19 miles) and Vasona Reservoir (Los Gatos, 44 miles).
What gear do you need to paddle from the launches near San Francisco?
A Coast Guard approved life jacket per person is the legal minimum around San Francisco, and kids under 13 must wear theirs under the federal rule.
For a trip from San Francisco, our guide How to launch a kayak or canoe covers the basics, and the map finds more. Every one of the launches in the city: Boat ramps in San Francisco, CA.