Recreational Boating Access Projects
Southcentral Projects
Finger Lake State Recreation Site
Description
Finger Lake is a State Recreation Site (SRS), which is managed and maintained by State Parks. The site is located on a 47-acre parcel, approximately 6.5 miles west of the city of Palmer off Bogard Road. The site contains the Alaska State Parks Headquarters for the entire Matanuska-Susitna-Copper Basin Area. The SRS provides the only public road to the lake and offers access to sport fishing, boating and canoeing. Finger Lake has received annual stocking by the ADF&G since 1953. It is the largest stocked lake in the Matanuska-Susitna valley and continues to provide excellent, year-around, angling opportunity.
Location
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Purpose
The objective of project F-13-D-81 (power-boating-related grant) was to replace the existing gravel launch at Finger Lake with a wider, double lane, plank concrete ramp and replace the existing boat tie up dock with a new dock system.
Outcome
The project was completed in 2001. Replacing the existing ramp with a double wide concrete ramp benefited boaters by allowing quicker and safer launches and retrievals. Frustrations that users experienced as a result of traffic congestion and long waiting periods were minimized. Trailers and boats were no longer subject to potential damage due to dropping off the sides or end of the ramp. Ruts caused by tire wear and erosion as a result of wave and boat action was diminished, thus reducing maintenance costs and concerns. The new dock system offers quicker and safer launches and retrievals during peak use periods by providing a larger staging area and has enough room to allow sport anglers to remain separated from boating operations.