Page last updated on November 19, 2025 at 3:50 pm
The Griffy Lake Boathouse is closed for the season and will reopen April 2026.
Griffy Lake Closed for Managed Deer Hunts Nov. 15-16, Nov. 22-23.
Parks and Recreation continues to actively manage Griffy Lake Nature Preserve for plant and habitat diversity. To that end, managed deer hunts are scheduled to take place at Griffy Lake over two weekends: Nov. 15 and 16, and Nov. 22 and 23.
Only hunters who applied and were selected to participate in the hunt are permitted to hunt at Griffy Lake Nature Preserve. The nature preserve remains closed to public hunting.
Griffy Lake Nature Preserve will be closed to the public during the deer hunt weekends beginning at 11 p.m. the Friday before the hunt through 5 a.m. the Monday after the hunt. The closure includes all trails, and the entire lake; no shoreline fishing is permitted, and watercraft will not be permitted to launch onto Griffy Lake during the hunt weekends.
The goal of the annual deer hunts is to remove enough deer from the nature preserve to reduce deer browse pressure on understory plants and seedling trees to the point that these native plant communities are able to recover and thrive within the preserve.
Parks and Recreation has actively managed the deer population at Griffy Lake with sharpshoots or hunts since 2017. See deer harvest data, and plant height study results from Griffy Lake.
For up-to-date information, follow City of Bloomington, IN - Parks and Recreation on Facebook or call Bloomington Parks and Recreation at 812-349-3700.
Private Watercraft Launching and Permits
Griffy Lake is owned and managed by the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department. It is not a Department of Natural Resources facility, and a DNR non-motorized watercraft permit is not valid for the use of privately owned watercraft.
Private watercraft launch permits are available for purchase with cash, check, or credit/debit card at the Griffy Lake boathouse.
Shoreline launching of watercraft of any kind is NOT permitted. All watercraft, including canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards, must be launched from the ramp located at the boathouse.
Launch Fees for Privately Owned Watercraft
- Any motorized watercraft (limited to the use of electric trolling motors only): $10/day or $125/year
- Nonmotorized watercraft, including but not limited to canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards: $10/day or $120/year
A valid Indiana fishing license is required to fish at Griffy Lake. The Griffy Lake boathouse does not sell fishing licenses.
Boathouse Hours
April and October, Saturday and Sunday only, 9 a.m.- 6 p.m.
May-August: Daily, 8 a.m.- 8 p.m.
September: Daily, 9 a.m.- 6 p.m.
November-March: Closed