St. Cloud sits beside East Lake Tohopekaliga, and the city maintains public boat ramps for getting on the water. This guide pulls together what the City of St. Cloud publishes about where the ramps are, when one of them is open, and what the parking rules cost. For more ideas on getting outdoors, see the things to do section.
Everything below comes from the city's boat ramp page, City of St. Cloud boat ramps, and its parking fees page.
Where the public boat ramps are
The city's boat ramp page lists these two ramps:
- Lakefront Park Boat Ramp: 1402 Lakeshore Blvd., St. Cloud, FL 34769.
- Chisholm Park Boat Ramp: 4700 Chisholm Park Trail, St. Cloud, FL 34771.
Plug the full address into your navigation before you leave, since the two ramps have different ZIP codes.
Lakefront Park Boat Ramp
The city lists the hours for the Lakefront Park Boat Ramp as 24 hours. The city also describes its features as easy access to East Lake Tohopekaliga. If you are planning an early start or a late return, that listed schedule is worth knowing.
Chisholm Park Boat Ramp
The city's page gives the address for the Chisholm Park Boat Ramp, 4700 Chisholm Park Trail. The facts verified for this guide do not include hours for this ramp, so check with the city before planning around a particular time of day.
Parking costs for vehicles with trailers
Parking at the city boat ramps is where most of the rules apply. For vehicles with trailers, the city states that daily parking is $6 for the entire day. That means a single payment covers the whole day rather than an hourly charge.
If you launch often, an annual parking permit may be the better fit, as described next.
Annual boat ramp parking permits
The city offers an annual boat ramp parking permit, and the price depends on where you live:
- Living in the St. Cloud city limits: $35 per year.
- Living in Osceola County but outside the St. Cloud city limits: $150 per year.
The city also notes that only one parking pass is available per household. If more than one person in a household launches a boat, plan on sharing the pass rather than getting several.
To make a rough comparison using only the city's numbers, daily parking is $6 for the entire day and an annual permit inside the city limits is $35 per year. Which option makes sense depends on how often you plan to launch, so it is worth weighing before you pay.
The fine for not paying
The city's parking fees page states that the fine for failure to pay for vehicles with trailers parking is $35. Paying the daily fee or displaying a permit avoids that charge. The fine is the same dollar amount as the annual permit for city residents, which is a useful reminder of why a permit can be worth it for regular boaters.
Quick planning checklist
- Choose a ramp and confirm its full address: 1402 Lakeshore Blvd. for Lakefront Park or 4700 Chisholm Park Trail for Chisholm Park.
- If you are heading to Lakefront Park, note the listed hours of 24 hours.
- Decide between paying $6 for the entire day or getting an annual permit.
- If you choose a permit, remember the price depends on whether you live in the city limits or elsewhere in Osceola County, and that each household gets one.
- Pay for trailer parking so you avoid the $35 fine.
What this guide does not cover
The sources used here cover two boat ramps and their parking rules. They do not describe other lake access points, boating regulations, launch conditions or water levels. Check with the city for anything beyond what is listed above.
Who to contact
- City of St. Cloud for boat ramp information, permits and parking: see the boat ramps page.
- City of St. Cloud parking fees for the $35 fine for failure to pay for vehicles with trailers: see the parking fees page.
Sources
Compiled from the official sources below.