The four-lane boat ramp and huge parking lot on the west side of the highway is said to be the biggest in the state and routinely accommodates hundreds of vehicles and boat trailers on busy weekends. Boaters leave from here to go in several directions – into Lake Maurepas toward its three tributary rivers, to Main Pass Manchac and its community of camps, eastward under the railroad bridge up North Pass and even more camps or the neighborhood nearby on I-55 Canal and Owl Bayou.
The launch is at the northern end of an unfinished campus centered on the Interstate 55 Manchac Exit and was supposed to span Jones Island from pass to pass. This facility was to include an Interstate rest area, a tennis court and other recreational facilities.
Kayak Launch
On the west side of the western dock of the North Pass boat ramp is a small, low platform meant for use by paddlers. A planned improvement will be a rigid pole for users to steady themselves as they board and exit their craft.
Paddlers can explore the Owl Bayou / Goat Island area between the boat launch and Lake Maurepas or try paddling the seven mile length of North Pass east of the neighboring railroad bridge. Either can be a peaceful paddle trip through the expansive wetlands of the Isthmus of Manchac.
