C-24 Canal Park Boat Ramp, Port St. Lucie

The C-24 Canal Park boat ramp is at 500 SE Oakridge Drive, Port St. Lucie 34984, on a city park of approximately 9 acres whose page lists four boat ramp lanes with direct river and ocean access.

The city's C-24 Canal Park page gives that address, a contact number of 772-878-2277 and a facility snapshot tagged Boat and Canoe Launch, Fishing Permitted, Pavilions, Pet Waste Stations, Picnic Tables, Restrooms (ADA) and free WiFi. The same page describes the ramp lanes as having direct river and ocean access; the Oak Hammock Park page lists that park's C-24 canal ramp as west of the spillway with no river or ocean access.

The comprehensive plan inventory carries the same street address, written as 500 SE Oakridge Dr., and records the park at 9 acres (Recreation and Open Space Element, Table 7-1). The master plan update lists it under the shorter name Canal Park at 9.0 acres (Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update, 2025).

The C-24 Canal Park page lists four boat ramp lanes, approximately 74 parking spaces for vehicles with trailers and approximately 11 parking spaces for single vehicles, while the department FAQ lists the site as having 2 ramps.

The park page counts lanes: "Four boat ramp lanes with direct river and ocean access," followed by the two parking figures (C-24 Canal Park page). The Parks and Recreation FAQ, answering whether the city has boat launches, lists "C-24 Canal Park 2 ramps" (Parks and Recreation FAQ). One page counts lanes and the other counts ramps.

Trailer parking is the practical limit at a canal launch. The park page puts the trailer lot at approximately 74 spaces; the Oak Hammock Park page lists twelve car and trailer spaces (Oak Hammock Park page). The FAQ adds that overnight parking is not allowed in parks unless otherwise posted (Parks and Recreation FAQ).

The C-24 Canal Park page posts hours of 8 a.m. to sunset, 7 days a week, while the department FAQ gives 7 a.m. to sunset for the C-24 Canal Park ramps.

The hours block on the C-24 Canal Park page reads "Open 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to sunset." In the boat launch answer of the Parks and Recreation FAQ, the listing reads "C-24 Canal Park 2 ramps, 7 a.m. to sunset." The park page's contact number is 772-878-2277.

The general park hours in the same FAQ set neighborhood and nature parks at 8 a.m. to sunset and community parks at 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (Parks and Recreation FAQ). For launching after dark, the Veterans Park at Rivergate page lists three boat ramps open 24/7 with lighted car and trailer parking (Veterans Park at Rivergate page).

Port St. Lucie's FAQ names three city boat launches, and of the two on the C-24 canal only C-24 Canal Park is listed with river and ocean access; Oak Hammock Park sits west of the spillway.

The rows come from the C-24 Canal Park page, the Oak Hammock Park page and the Veterans Park at Rivergate page. The department FAQ describes the same three launches in its own words: Veterans Park at Rivergate with 2 ramps and 24/7 access to river and ocean, C-24 Canal Park with 2 ramps, and Oak Hammock Park with no river access (Parks and Recreation FAQ). The Veterans Park page counts three ramps where the FAQ counts two, a second ramp-count difference between city pages.

Veterans Park at Rivergate also lists a handicapped boat entry lift, available by contacting Parks and Recreation staff (Veterans Park at Rivergate page).

C-24 Canal Park has one large pavilion with 4 tables, two small pavilions with 2 tables each, water, electric and one small grill at each pavilion, ADA restrooms, a pet waste station and free WiFi.

Those amenities appear in the detailed list on the C-24 Canal Park page, which also tags the site Fishing Permitted. The department FAQ says catch-and-release fishing is allowed at all city parks, that alcohol is allowed only with an approved permit, and that smoking, including e-cigarettes, is allowed only in designated areas (Parks and Recreation FAQ).

The same FAQ says metal detectors may not be used in Port St. Lucie parks, citing City Code Chapter 96.20(C), which prohibits digging, removing natural materials or using excavation tools (Parks and Recreation FAQ). Pavilions are booked through the city's Reservations and Rentals page or the Parks and Rec App, according to the FAQ.

The 2025 master plan update lists Canal Park at 9.0 acres, dated 2015 and classed Special Purpose, and names C-24 Canal Park among the parks whose amenities appear to be in excellent condition.

The legend under Table 7-1 defines SF as Specialized Facility and P as Predominately Passive Recreation (Recreation and Open Space Element). In the master plan's site findings, "Park amenities that appear to be in excellent conditions are those located in The Botanical Gardens, C-24 Canal Park, Community Center, Mary Ann Cernuto Park/ Plaza, Midport Lake, and Pioneer Park" (master plan update, site conditions).

The evaluation table in the same plan, Figure 2.26, scores C-24 Canal Park, classed Special, at 3.0 for site amenities, 2.8 for site furnishings, 3.0 for general hardscape and landscape and 2.9 for its site evaluation average; in that figure's legend a site score of 3.0 means excellent, 2.0 fair and 1.0 poor (Figure 2.26 park system evaluations).

Florida law requires an operator born on or after January 1, 1988, to carry photo identification and a boating safety card to run a motor of 10 horsepower or greater from the Port St. Lucie ramp.

For boaters leaving the Port St. Lucie ramp, the boating safety education statute lists the accepted documents: photographic identification with the boating safety identification card issued by the commission, a state identification card or driver license showing the card, or photographic identification with a temporary certificate, an International Certificate of Competency, another state's boating card or a Canadian Pleasure Craft Operator Card.

The statute lists exemptions, among them an operator accompanied by a person 18 or older who holds a compliant card and is responsible for the safe operation of the vessel, and a nonresident with photographic identification and proof of a qualifying course from another state or territory (section 327.395). Last verified: October 22, 2026, with the Oakridge Drive ramp page, the department's launch list, both planning inventories, the Oak Hammock and Rivergate ramp pages and the state boating education law each read again that day.