Lake Springfield

Lake Springfield is a major recreational hub in central Illinois offering excellent paddling and boating opportunities across its 3,866-acre surface. The lake features four free, public concrete boat ramps for convenient access. All watercraft must be registered and licensed in accordance with City of Springfield and State of Illinois requirements before launching. Note that certain areas are designated as "no boat" zones marked by buoys—be sure to observe these restrictions.

The lake offers good conditions for kayaking and canoeing with an average depth of 13 feet and maximum depth of approximately 30 feet. Created in 1931 by damming Lick and Sugar creeks, Lake Springfield provides 57 miles of shoreline and is surrounded by eight public parks and additional amenities including the Henson Robinson Zoo and Lincoln Memorial Garden. The site attracts over 600,000 annual visitors and is managed by the City Water, Power and Light department. Trailer storage is available at the marina, and the area is developing additional accessible facilities including an accessible fishing pier and boat launch as part of ongoing ADA improvements.