Lorain Harbor--Boat Ramp Hotwaters

Lorain Harbor--Boat Ramp Hotwaters

Lorain, Ohio 44052

Also, see all the hotspots at:
Black River Mouth Important Bird Area
Lorain Lakeshore Birding Drive

Tips for Birding

The city of Lorain’s nearly 2-acre Public Boat Ramp provides six ramps and three parking lots for direct Lake Erie boating access. Entrance to the site is north of the Oberlin Avenue and First Street intersection with one-way traffic directed to exit on the drive and parking lot along First Street near the Hamilton Avenue intersections

This site is Lorain’s oldest boat launch and is locally known as “Hot Waters” because of its location between a power plant warm water discharge on the west and the former ore docks to the east (now the Lorain Public Fishing Pier access site).

Fishing access is provided around the perimeter of the on-water asphalt parking lot which has car-trailer and car-only parking. A second gravel lot is just east of the launch ramps and a third asphalt lot is about 100 years south of the launch.

The Public Boat Ramp is a city of Lorain adopt-a-spot location adopted by the Polish Fisherman’s Club.

About this Location

The Lorain Public Boat Ramp is located on First Street at Oberlin Avenue in downtown Lorain. The site is locally known as “Hot Waters” because of its location between a former power plant warm water discharge to the west and the former ore docks to the east.

Three of the six boat ramps are dedicated for launching vessels up to 24-feet and three are dedicated for boat recovery. Launching smaller watercraft vessels is permitted but may be restricted to the shallowest ramp on busy days. Fishing is permitted. A bait and tackle store is located at the site.

Restrooms on site during boating season.

About Lorain Harbor

See all hotspots at Lorain Harbor

Lorain Harbor reaches its peak as a birding hotspot from November until the ice-up of the harbor and adjacent Lake Erie, which usually occurs in late December or January. Thousands of Bonaparte’s Gulls mass in the harbor, often accompanied by much rarer gulls. Likewise, scores of Ring-billed and Herring gulls gather. Good numbers of waterfowl often loaf in the harbor and staggering numbers of Red-breasted Mergansers can be seen passing by on Lake Erie.

The spoil impoundment just east of the harbor’s east pier can be good for songbirds in migration. The willows lure many species of warblers, flycatchers, and other species, and oddities such as Barn Owl can even turn up. The dense stands of giant reed (Phragmites) and smartweeds sometimes host large numbers of sparrows of several species in October. Conditions change from year to year, but if mudflats are present nearly every regularly occurring species of shorebird can turn up.

The city of Lorain’s nearly 2-acre Public Boat Ramp provides six ramps and three parking lots for direct Lake Erie boating access. The entrance to the site is north of the Oberlin Avenue and First Street intersection with one-way traffic directed to exit on the drive and parking lot along First Street near the Hamilton Avenue intersection.

This site is Lorain’s oldest boat launch and is locally known as “Hot Waters” because of its location between a power plant’s warm water discharge on the west and the former ore docks to the east (now the Lorain Public Fishing Pier access site).

Restrooms at Boat Ramp (during boating season) and Black River Landing (portable toilets).

Features

  • Roadside viewing

  • Restrooms on site

  • Wheelchair accessible trail

  • Entrance fee

Content from Lake Erie Public Access Guide, Ohio Ornithological Society, Ken Andrews, and Lake Erie Birding Trail