Seacoast Boat Launch Ramps: Kittery to Hampton, York to Wells

The best boat days on the Seacoast often start at a ramp at first light, with the truck backed down, the boat floating off and the coffee still hot. This page lists the public ramps between Kittery and Hampton, plus York and Wells to the north, with the facts the town or state publishes about each one: the water it reaches, tide access, parking and fees. If an official source doesn't state something, we leave it out rather than guess.

Facts as of November 3, 2026. Each one links to its source. Fees and rules change, so check the linked page before you go, and look at the Piscataqua tides and currents guide before launching anywhere on the river.

Maine: Kittery, Eliot, South Berwick, York and Wells

"Part tide" means Maine DACF's own definition: launching or recovery may only be possible at certain tides. For a part-tide ramp, plan around the tide and check the live NOAA tide prediction for the nearest station, such as York Harbor or Fort Point, New Castle.

Kittery Port Authority ramps (Traip Academy and Pepperrell Cove)

Kittery's public ramps are at Traip Academy and Pepperrell Cove. The Kittery Port Authority's rules (amended March 5, 2026) and fee schedule (amended March 6, 2025) say:

• Pay the fee and display the pass. Everyone using the launch facilities pays the posted fees and displays the required pass. The fee schedule says passes must be visible on the trailer or the vehicle dashboard.
• Posted launch fees, watercraft / paddlecraft:
  • Season pass: residents $50 / $20, non-residents $125 / $75.
  • Daily: residents $15 / $8, non-residents $25 / $15.
  • Resident elders (65+) and active-duty military: $0.
  • Non-resident elders (65+) and active-duty military: $40 / $20 for the season, $15 / $8 daily.
• One vehicle and trailer on the ramp at a time. Clear the launch area quickly once you're in the water.
• No power loading. Don't use the motor to push the boat on or off the trailer, beyond the minimum needed to keep control against wind, tide or current.
• Parking: trailer parking at the ramps is allowed only when school isn't in session. When school is in session, you can park along the fence leading to the ramp and in the nearby grass area, if there's space. No trailer parking at Pepperrell Cove. Park off site, at Mitchell Elementary when school is out, or along the access road if there's room. Boaters may not park in the lot across from 88 Pepperrell Road.
• No swimming at the launch ramps.

The launch application is on the town's Forms & Applications page.

New Hampshire: Portsmouth to Seabrook

Peirce Island fees (City of Portsmouth, 2026 season)

• Portsmouth residents: free season pass. Bring a license showing your current Portsmouth address and the boat's registration.
• Non-residents, motorized or registered craft: $20 per launch or $175 per season.
• Non-residents, non-motorized craft: $10 per launch or $100 per season.
• Active-duty military and veterans get 50% off. Commercial users pay $50 per launch or $300 per season.

The city's page says the launch reaches the "calmer back channel of the Piscataqua." Calmer doesn't mean slack, though. The main river next door runs hard, and the tides and currents guide explains why.

Rye Harbor and Hampton Harbor state marinas

NH Fish & Game lists both with "seasonal fees." Under the Pease Development Authority's rules (N.H. Admin. Code Pda 604.08), a daily combination ticket lets you park one vehicle and one trailer at Rye Harbor or Hampton Harbor, and launch and recover a boat at that location's ramp. Tickets are sold on a space-available basis. We couldn't load the current dollar amounts from the Division of Ports and Harbors site when we checked, so they aren't listed here. Check with the Division of Ports and Harbors before you go.

Great Bay and Little Bay (if you're trailering inland)

NH Fish & Game's Great Bay map lists more sites:

• Chapman's Landing: accessible at all tides, ample parking.
• Hilton Park: boat ramp not accessible at low tide.
• Adams Point: boat ramp not accessible at low tide.
• Newmarket Town Landing: not accessible at all tides.
• Fox Point: Newington residents only.
• Great Bay Marine: marina launch, fee. At Adams Point, state rule Fis 1604.01 prohibits parking on Adams Point Road, sets a 20 mph limit, and keeps the overflow lot for vehicles with trailers only.

Before you back down the ramp

• Check the tide for the ramp you're using, not just the harbor mouth. Part-tide ramps can leave you with a long wait for the water to come back.
• Check the current on the Piscataqua. The NOAA Coast Pilot warns of strong currents, especially at the bridges. Read the Piscataqua guide and open the live NOAA current predictions.
• Check the marine forecast: NWS Coastal Waters forecast, zone ANZ154 (Cape Elizabeth, ME to Merrimack River, MA).
• Have your pass, registration and safety gear aboard. The Seacoast boat-day planning guide has the full pre-departure list.
• Need a yard for service, storage or a haul? See the Seacoast yards list (public listings, unconfirmed).

Sources (read November 3, 2026)

• Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF), Bureau of Parks and Lands, Boat Sites table: Kittery, Eliot, South Berwick, York Harbor and Wells entries, tide access and the Part-Tide definition.
• Kittery Port Authority, Rules and Regulations, amended March 5, 2026 (PDF): public ramp locations, passes, power loading and parking.
• Town of Kittery, Appendix A, Port and Harbor Fee Schedule, amended March 6, 2025 (PDF): launch fees.
• City of Portsmouth, Boat Launch and Peirce Island: 2026 season fees, resident pass, amenities and parking.
• New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, Saltwater Fishing Digest, Coastal Access Sites (last updated January 19, 2026): fee, parking and tide notes for New Hampshire coastal and Great Bay sites.
• N.H. Admin. Code Pda 604.08: daily launch tickets at Rye Harbor and Hampton Harbor.
• N.H. Admin. Rules Fis 1600: Adams Point access rules (Fis 1604.01).

Listed for planning only. Boat Day doesn't run any of these ramps, isn't affiliated with the towns or the states, and can't promise a ramp is open or has space on a given day.