Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin are home to dozens of lakes and rivers that lend themselves to kayaking and canoeing. A few popular local spots include:
 Illinois Beach State Park (sea kayaking)
Des Plaines River Trail System (online map)
Skokie Lagoons (Tower Rd & Edens Expwy)
Nippersink Creek
Big Bear Lake (Vernon Hills)
Chicago River | North Branch (from Clark Park)
The Fox River (near Algonquin )
For many more paddling locations, we urge you to visit the Northeastern Illinois Water Trails Page at the OpenLands Project website. There you'll find info on the majority of paddling locations in our neck of the woods, along with information about how you can support this valuable Illinois non-profit agency.
Before you go, check with us for all your camping storage needs! You'll need drybags, compression sacks, and sleep pads, all of which we can provide at competitive prices!
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Most people in Lake County live no more than 10 miles from a paddle-able body of water. With proper clothing, paddling can be a 12-month a year sport in this part of the country.
The midwest is also home to many fine tripping locations. Within just a few hours of Chicago, you can discover some whitewater at the Vermillion River in LaSallle County, take a two or three day river camping trip down the Lower Wisconsin River (put in at Sauk City), or explore Southern Illinois Shawnee National Forest.
The midwestern mecca for canoeists is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota. Kayakers can find similar forms of nirvana at the Apostle Islands National Seashore in northern Wisconsin. The Apostles require intermediate to advanced paddling skills and proper clothing for a range of weather conditions; please call us and ask about getting yourself outfitted for an Apostle Islands or Boundary Waters trip.
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