Boating & Watersports | MarDon Resort

A fishing boat out on Potholes Reservoir

On The Water

Getting on the water

The marina does the parts that usually eat a morning: the ramp, the fuel and the slip.

Potholes is really two pieces of water. South of the resort the main basin runs wide and open, which is where the tow ropes and the skiers go. North of it the lake breaks up into sandbars, small islands and standing flooded timber, sheltered enough to paddle with kids and slow enough that you want to know where the trees are before you open the throttle.

The resort’s own ramp is on the property, with the parking, the fuel dock and the tackle store inside the same few hundred feet, so a morning start is a walk rather than a drive. More public ramps are spread around the shoreline and every one of them is on the map below. If you would rather not pull the boat out at the end of each day, the marina moors it daily or by the month.

The reservoir does not close, but the wind decides the day out here. It tends to sit still through the morning and build a chop across the afternoon, so check the wind forecast before you commit to the far end of the lake.

Launches & Map

Where to put in

Launch and parkingBoat launch$10Parking, per day$4Moorage and rental terms

Kayaks and paddle boards
Kayaks and paddle boards rent by the hour or for the whole day, and they come off the same dock as the fishing boats. No trailer, no launch fee and no roof rack.
The north end of the reservoir is the place to point them. Sandbars, small islands and flooded timber make for sheltered water and short crossings, which is what you want with kids along.
- By the hour or all day
- Off the marina dock
- Life devices included
- Sheltered water up north
Skiing, boarding and tubing
The main basin runs wide and open south of the resort, which is what a tow rope wants. There is room to set a line and run it without crossing anybody, and a fall is just a swim.
The party barge is the rental with the horsepower for it, fifty on the back and seats for eight, and it carries life devices for all eight. Bring your own rope, board or tube.
- Party barge, 50 hp, seats 8
- Life devices for eight
- Open water south of the resort
- Bring your own rope and board
Swimming
The swim area sits on the resort's own shoreline, so it is a short walk from the cottages, the lake houses and the RV sites rather than a drive to a public beach.
It is kept clear of the launch and the moorage docks, which is what makes it work for kids. There is no lifeguard, so children need an adult with them.
The water warms through June and stays swimmable into September, which is also when the lake is at its busiest.
- Walk from the cottages and RV sites
- Clear of the launch and docks
- No lifeguard on duty
- June into September