Though the I & M Canal has not been used for over 60 years, portions
of the canal still contain water and are canoeable.
Your historic canoe trip down the I & M Canal may start at Channahon State
Park, McKinley Woods, or the Aux Sable Access, and end at Gebhard Woods.
The chart below shows the canoe landings and approximate mileage
(rounded to the nearest 1/2 mile) for this trip.
From -- To--- Mileage
(G.) I & M Canal Channahon Access -- (H.) McKinley Woods --- 3 miles
(H.) McKinley Woods -- (I) I & M Canal Aux Sable Access --- 5.5 miles
(I) l & M Canal Aux Sable Access -- (J) I & M Canal Gebhard
Woods Access ---6.5 miles
(G) I & M Canal Channahon Access -- (J) I & M Canal
Gebhard Woods Access and end at Gebhard Woods ---15 miles
I & M Canal Canoe Landing Sites
(Scanned from the Canoe Guide distributed by The I & M Canal National
Heritage Corridor.)
- A. Stony Ford Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Located off of Joliet Road, just west of Harlem Avenue (Route 43) in Lyons.
Canoe landing on Des Plaines River. Other recreation includes:
picnicking. Drinking water available. (708) 447-0090, or 447-0091
- B. Columbia Woods Forest Preserve District of Cook County
Located off of Willow Springs Road, 1/4 mile north of the river and south of
I-55 in Willow Springs. Canoe landing on the Des Plaines River. Other
recreation includes: picnicking. Drinking water available. (708) 261-8400
- C. Lemont Landing/Black Partridge Woods Forest Preserve District
of Cook County Canoe landing is located on the north shore of the Des
Plaines River, just south of the Stephens Street
bridge, west of Lemont Road and south of Bluff Road. (708) 839-5617, or 839-5618
- D. Isle a la Cache Forest Preserve District of Will County
Located at Romeo Road (135th Street), 1/2 mile east of Route 53 in Romeoville.
Canoe landing on the Des Plaines River. Canoeists may also visit Isle a
la Cache Museum, which presents the history of our region during the
French-Indian fur trade era. Isle a la Cache Museum is open 10:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m., closed Mondays. Other recreation includes: picnicking, fishing,
hiking. Drinking water and latrines available. Preserve gate locked at
8:00 p.m., April-October; 5:00 p.m., November-March. (815) 886- 1467
- E. Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve/Route 7 Forest Preserve
District of Will County Located on Route 7, east of Route 53, in
Lockport. Canoeists may take out on the west side of the Des Plaines
River, south of the bridge. No other recreational facilities are available at
this site. 815/727-8700
- F. Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve/Division Street Forest
Preserve District of Will County Located on Division Street, west of the
river, in Lockport. Canoeists may take out on the west side of
the Des Plaines River at the bridge (bridge is closed to traffic). No other
recreational facilities are available at this site. Preserve gate locked
at 8:00 p.m., April-October; 5:00 p.m., November-March. 815//727-8700
- G. I & M Canal Channahon Access llinois Department of Conservation
Located south of Route 6 at the intersection of Canal and Story Streets in
Channahon. Canoe landingon the I & M Canal. Other recreation includes:
picnicking, camping, hiking, biking, fishing. Drinking water and latrines
available. The canoe landing is located at Bridge Street, approximately two
blocks east of the park. (815) 467-4271
- H. McKinley Woods Forest Preserve District of Will County
Located west of I-55 on McKinley Road, south of Route 6 in Channahon. Canoe
landing on the I & M Canal. Other recreation includes: picnicking,
camping, fishing, hiking. Drinking water and latrines available. Preserve
gate locked at 8:00 p.m., April-October; 5:00 p.m., November-March. (815) 727-
8700
- I. I & M Canal Aux Sable Access Illinois Department of Conservation
Located west of Tabler Road on Old Cemetery Road. Canoe landing on the I & M
Canal. Other recreation includes: picnicking, camping, fishing, hiking.
Latrines available. (815) 942-0796
- J. I & M Canal Gebhard Woods Access Illinois Department of
Conservation Located on Ottawa Street, west of Route 47 and south of
Jefferson/Fremont Street near Morris. Canoe landing on the I & M Canal.
Other recreation includes: picnicking, camping, fishing, hiking,
biking. Drinking water and latrines available. (815) 942-0796
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