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 rulesBoat ramps in West Virginia
73 launches in 43 cities.
The cities with the most launches are Charleston (7), Fort Ashby (5) and Hinton (5). See them on the map
What West Virginia offers on the water
| Boat ramps | 60 |
|---|---|
| Kayak and canoe launches | 3 |
| Fishing piers and access | 11 |
| Marked free | 4 |
Lakes, rivers and bays near these launches: Mud River, Cambell's Creek, Cunard River, Fayette River, Brooks Falls River, Long Branch Lake, Meadow Creek River, Sandstone Falls River.
Helpful before you go: launching a boat, ramp etiquette and launch fees.
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 etiquetteBoat ramps by city
- Charleston7
- Fort Ashby5
- Hinton5
- Romney4
- Summersville4
- Buckhannon3
- Fayetteville2
- Glenville2
- Hurricane2
- Milton2
- Moorefield2
- New Haven2
- Nitro2
- Williamstown2
- Ansted1
- Barrackville1
- Buffalo1
- Ceredo1
- Charles Town1
- Cheat Lake1
- Chester1
- Clarksburg1
- Clay1
- Coal Fork1
- Elkins1
- Fairmont1
- Huntington1
- Lavalette1
- Lesage1
- Madison1
- Mineral Wells1
- Morgantown1
- Oak Hill1
- Paden City1
- Ripley1
- Saint Albans1
- Shepherdstown1
- Stanaford1
- Star City1
- Tornado1
- Washington1
- Weston1
- Wiley Ford1
Boat ramps in West Virginia: questions and answers
How many public boat ramps and launches are in West Virginia?
We list 73 launches in 43 cities across West Virginia.
Which lakes and rivers in West Virginia have the most boat ramps?
On our map: Mud River (2), Cambell's Creek (1), Cunard River (1), Fayette River (1), Brooks Falls River (1) and Long Branch Lake (1). The rest are spread over many small lakes and rivers across West Virginia.
Are boat ramps in West Virginia free?
4 of the 73 launches in West Virginia are marked free in the map data. Most others in West Virginia have no fee information, and state parks and Corps of Engineers lakes usually charge a day-use fee.
Where can you launch a kayak in West Virginia?
We list 3 kayak and canoe launches in West Virginia, for example Canoe & Kajak access only in Charles Town, Kayak in Nitro and Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge Boat Ramp in Williamstown.
Where are the fishing piers in West Virginia?
11 fishing piers and fishing access sites, including Marmet Lock and Dam Fishing Area in Charleston, Marmet Lock and Dam Fishing Area (Downstream) in Charleston, Mouth of the Elk Fishing Area in Charleston and Wheelchair Access Fishing Pier (Southwest) in Charleston.