Openlands - Northeastern Illinois Regional Water Trails

Northeastern Illinois Regional Water Trails

Comprising hundreds of miles of rivers and creeks, as well as Lake Michigan, northeastern Illinois waterways offer an unparalleled experience of our region—from the Chicago River's skyscraper canyons to the quiet beauty of prairie streams along the DuPage River. Openlands works to ensure our waterways remain clean, safe, and accessible to the public through carefully conceived and managed water trails initiatives.

Northeastern Illinois Water Trail Map
Click here to access a printable PDF version of this map.

To request a hard copy of this map, please contact Openlands Associate Greenways Director Laura Barghusen via e-mail or by phone at 312-863-6253.

Subcategories

Calumet Area Water Trails

Chicago River Water Trails

Des Plaines River Water Trails

DuPage River Water Trails

Fox River Water Trails

Kankakee River Water Trails

Lake Michigan Water Trails

Nippersink Creek Water Trails

Salt Creek Water Trails

Water Trails and Their Benefits

Water trails consist of a series of access sites for non-motorized boating along a waterway, strung together by signage that guides paddlers along. The value of these aquatic arteries includes opportunities for fun, healthy outdoor exercise and a respite from workaday life, refreshing our spirits and inspiring our minds.

Plan

Recognizing the immense recreational, environmental, and educational value of our region’s waterways, Openlands first proposed water trails in the late 1980s, in the Northeastern Illinois Regional Greenways and Trails Plan. Co-authored and formally adopted by the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC) in 1992, the plan was revised in 1997 to identify 4,300 miles of greenways and almost 2,000 miles of land and water trails for the region.

Council

Established in 2001, the Northeastern Illinois Regional Water Trails Council:

Promotes water trails awareness;
Improves access to water trails;
Sustains funding for a regional water trails system;
Provides technical assistance;
Establishes system-wide standards;
Coordinates promotion and user information (signage and maps);
Supplies expert speakers for meetings, seminars, and workshops; and
Orchestrates public events and environmental education to inspire stewardship and appreciation of the waterways.

Recommendations

Today, Openlands, in conjunction with the Illinois Paddling Council (IPC) and other partner organizations, continues to advance the recommendations of Northeastern Illinois Regional Water Trails Plan, many of which can be readily executed.