Boat ramp guide
Clear Lake State Park Boat Ramp
Kelseyville, Lake County, CA
Overview
The Clear Lake State Park boat ramp is the state-run launch on Clear Lake's southwest shore, at 5300 Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville. California State Parks operates it inside Clear Lake State Park, close to the base of Mount Konocti. It puts trailer boaters straight onto the big Upper Arm of the lake.
What's here
The ramp has two boarding floats and parking for about 106 cars with trailers. The park around it adds campsites, showers, restrooms, a swimming area, day-use picnic areas, a fish cleaning station and transient tie-ups. That makes it a natural base for multi-day bass trips and family camping weekends.
Before you launch
Launching here still means following Lake County's invasive mussel program. Your boat and trailer need a Lake County mussel sticker before you launch. Visitors are screened before their first launch each calendar month, and any boat coming back from out-of-county water must be re-screened. Have your DMV registration handy for screening, and arrive clean, drained and dry; boats that aren't get a physical inspection.
On the water
The Upper Arm is broad and shallow, so wind-driven chop builds quickly on breezy afternoons. Summer and fall algae blooms are common on Clear Lake, so check County water-quality information before swimming.
Getting there & access
Getting there
Follow Soda Bay Road along the southwest shore of Clear Lake to the park entrance at 5300 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville. The ramp is inside Clear Lake State Park.
Screening first
Get screened at a Lake County screening location before you launch. Visitors pay a $20 screening fee and get stickers for the boat and trailer that expire at the end of the calendar month. Bring your DMV registration.
Launching and parking
Two boarding floats serve the ramp, and about 106 spaces are set aside for vehicles with trailers. On busy summer weekends and tournament days, arrive early.
Amenities
- Boarding floats — Two
- Trailer parking — About 106 spaces
- Camping — Campsites with restrooms and showers in the park
- Fish cleaning station — At the park
- Transient tie-ups — Transient berths or tie-ups listed for the facility
- Day use — Picnic areas, swimming area and a convenience store
Rules & official resources
- Every visitor boat and its trailer must have Lake County Visitor Mussel Stickers before launching; screening is required before the first launch in every calendar month
- Boats must be re-screened when returning to Lake County after launching in an out-of-county body of water (no charge)
- Boats that aren't clean, drained and dry must pass a physical inspection by an Authorized Inspector before launching
- Motorized vessels used in fresh water must display the California Mussel Fee sticker, one on each side of the hull next to the registration sticker; paying the fee doesn't exempt a boat from local inspections or inspection fees
- California Boater Card required for all operators of motorized vessels, regardless of age, since January 1, 2025
Common boat service needs here
Trailer and engine checkups
Many boats here are trailered in from outside the county for weekends and tournaments. Wheel bearings, trailer lights and engine tune-ups before a long tow are common needs.
Find Marine Mechanics & Engine Service providers →Wash and dry service
Arriving clean, drained and dry speeds up screening. A thorough washdown and dry-out after each trip also prevents algae stains from Clear Lake's summer water.
Find Boat Detailing & Washing providers →Gelcoat care
Boats stored outdoors in hot inland sun oxidize quickly. Compounding and waxing keep gelcoat from chalking.
Find Gelcoat, Oxidation & Paint Correction providers →Guides & FAQs
Nearby providers
No providers listed near this location yet — check back soon.
Sources
Last verified October 6, 2026