Boating

NPS Photo

Our 22 public boat launches offer a variety of opportunities for every type of watercraft from canoes to motorboats to paddleboards. Please remember that Lake Roosevelt is an active reservoir. Seasonal fluctuations regularly affect lake levels and access to boat launch facilities.

Check the current lake levels or call the Bureau of Reclamation at [phone] before you visit. Minimum boat launch elevations at Lake Roosevelt are listed below.

Before launching, inspect your boat for Aquatic Invasive Species and fill out the AIS self-certification form. When you take-out your boat, inspect if for any plants and make sure to clean, drain, and dry your boat.

 

Help Us Prevent

Aquatic Invasive Species Mussel-free Self-certification Form

 

 

Boat Launch Permits

Boat launch permits are required year-round at all boat launches in the recreation area. Visitors can purchase a weekly pass, good for seven consecutive days or an annual pass, good through December 31st of the year printed on the pass. Either can be purchased on pay.gov before entering the park. Annual boat launch passes can be purchased in-person. Visit Fees and Passes for more information.

When accessing the lake from lands adjacent to or on the reservation shoreline, please contact the tribes to determine where access is allowed and what additional fees are required:

• The Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation can be reached at [phone].

• The Spokane Tribe of Indians can be reached at [phone].

 

NPS/E. Gelfat

Minimum Boat Launch Lake Elevations

Lake Roosevelt is a reservoir so lake levels can fluctuate within a matter of hours. Check the current lake levels or call the Bureau of Reclamation at [phone].

• Hawk Creek 1281'

• Marcus Island 1281'

• Evans 1280'

• North Gorge 1280'

• Napoleon Bridge 1280'

• Snag Cove 1277'

• China Bend 1277'

• Jones Bay 1268'

• Crescent Bay 1265'

• Daisy 1265'

• French Rocks 1265'

• Hanson Harbor 1253'

• Bradbury Beach 1251'

• Gifford 1249'

• Fort Spokane 1247'

• Lincoln Mill 1245'

• Porcupine Bay 1243'

• Kettle Falls 1234'

• Hunters Camp 1232'

• Keller Ferry 1229'

• Seven Bays 1227'

• Spring Canyon 1222'

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Boating Regulations

Boaters at Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area must follow the Code of Federal Regulations, Washington State boating regulations and regulations in the Park Compendium.

Required Equipment

• All vessels, including canoes and kayaks, must have at least one U.S. Coast Guard–approved Type I, II, or III life jacket for each person on board. Children 12 years old and younger must wear a U.S. Coast Guard–approved life jacket at all times when underway in a vessel less than 19 feet in length, unless they are in a fully enclosed area.

• Boats 16 feet or longer must carry one Type IV (throwable) U.S. Coast Guard–approved life preserver in addition to Type I, II or III. Canoes and kayaks are exempt from this requirement.

• All boaters, including those using canoes, kayaks, and personal watercraft, must carry a sound signal, such as a horn, bell, or whistle.

• Navigation lights must be displayed between sunset and sunrise and during periods of restricted visibility such as fog or heavy rain.

• Vessels with a motor must maintain a Type B fire extinguisher on board if one or more of the following conditions exist:

  • Inboard engine

  • Vessel length of 26 feet or longer

  • Closed compartments used to store portable fuel tanks and other flammable materials

  • Double-bottoms not sealed to the hull or which are not completely filled with flotation material

  • Enclosed living spaces

  • Permanently installed fuel tanks

Download the appropriate checklist(s) to see what you need to boat safely on Lake Roosevelt.

• Human Powered (canoes, kayaks, etc.)

• Personal Watercraft (PWC)

• Class A Motorized Watercraft (less than 16 feet in length)

• Class 1 Motorized Watercraft (16 feet to 26 feet in length)

• Class 2 Motorized Watercraft (26 feet to 40 feet in length)

• Class 3 Motorized Watercraft (40 feet to less than 65 feet in length)

Registration

To navigate, operate, employ, or moor your vessel in Washington, you must have a Washington title, registration card, and registration decals, except when your vessel is:

• A canoe, kayak, or not propelled by a motor or sail.

• Less than 16 feet in length and has a motor of 10 horsepower or less and is used on non-federal waters only.

• Properly registered by a resident of another state or country who uses Washington waters for 60 days or fewer.

The registration card (the cutout portion of the Vessel Registration Certificate) must be onboard whenever you use your vessel.

Vessel Mooring

• Overnight mooring of a vessel on the waters of LRNRA for more than 14 nights in one location is prohibited. Individuals must move the vessel more than one mile when changing mooring locations.

• Overnight mooring of a vessel on the waters of LRNRA for more than 60 total nights per calendar year is prohibited. Vessels may exceed these limits with a current moorage rental agreement or CAP agreement provided the vessel is docked or moored within the authorized concession or CAP area.

• Boats 35 feet or longer are prohibited from mooring at public docks provided by the NPS. Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area 2023 Superintendent’s Compendium 9.

• Overnight mooring of a vessel on the waters of LRNRA, or otherwise beaching and/or making fast to the shore, within ½ mile of a concession operated marina or campground without occupying a camp site is prohibited.

 

Warning To All Watercraft: These waters may be used as a water source for firefighting aircraft which pick up water while taxiing at take-off speeds. When aircraft approach at low altitudes, stay near the shore and avoid the aircraft and associated wake.

Recreate Responsibly

• Prepare and Plan - Get you and your vessel ready.

• Wear a Life Jacket - What kind to get.

• On The Water - Be aware of hazards and safety for everyone.

• Reach, Throw, Row…Don't Go - What to do if you fall overboard.

• Have an Emergency Plan - Don't rely on your cell phone!

• Learn to Swim - And watch for hazards when you do.

• Stay with Your Boat - Learn river and stream safety.

• Designate a Water Watcher - Keep an eye on possible dangers.

• Keep Safety in the Picture - Great tips for a fun trip!

• Don't Trash the Park - Pack out your garbage & keep the park clean!

Understand Propeller Danger!

A typical 3-blade propeller running at 3200-rpm can inflict 160 impacts in 1 second. An average recreational propeller can travel head-to-toe on a person in 1/10th of a second.

What can you do to stay safe?

• Teach your passengers about propeller safety

• Never allow passengers to enter/exit the REAR of the boat

• Keep the engine cut-off switch lanyard attached to your PFD

• NEVER start your engine without accounting for all passengers

• Consider getting propeller safety equipment for your BOAT

 

Know Before You Go

• 

  Clean, Drain, & Dry!

  Aquatic Invasive Species

  Learn about AIS and fill out the self-certification form.

• 

  Boat-In Campgrounds & Shoreline Camping

  Sail, and then sleep under the stars.

• 

  Canoeing and Kayaking

  Paddle out on the water for a serene experience.

• 

  Fees & Passes

  What do you pay and where? Find the answers here.

• 

  Fishing

  Learn about licensing, locations, and charters before you cast that line.

• 

  Camping

  Where to picnic, paddleboard, park your RV, set up your tent, and make s’mores.