Boating

The Fishing Guide lists all fishing and boating locations, and all regulations and other information on fishing, including maps of 27 lakes, ponds, quarries, reservoirs and sloughs within the Forest Preserve District of Cook County. The Guide is available here for downloading in Adobe® Acrobat™ PDF format. Printed copies of the Fishing Guide are available at the FPDCC Headquarters in River Forest and also our Nature Centers.

Click here to view the FPDCC Fishing Area chart.

To view individual maps of the 27 fishing areas, displaying water depths and more information on FPDCC fishing waters, visit the Lake Maps page... Or if canoeing, visit the Chicago Portage Canoe Trail page...

General Restriction: No person shall bring into, use or navigate any boat, yacht, canoe, plastic, canvas or rubber raft, inner-tube, float-tube, sail-surf board or other watercraft upon any watercourse, lagoon, lake, pond or slough under the exclusive control of the Forest Preserve District, except at such place or places as may be provided or designated for such purpose by administrative order of the General Superintendent and in accordance with rules and regulations.

Motorboats Restricted: No person shall, at any time, bring any gasoline or other fuel-powered boat or outboard motor into or upon any of the waters under the exclusive control of the Board of Commissioners. Electric or battery-powered trolling motors shall not be used in or upon said waters except at such place or places as may be provided or designated for such purpose by administrative order of the General Superintendent of the Forest Preserve District.

No private watercraft is allowed on District waters, except as listed below under BOATING WATERS. (No private watercraft permitted on District waters overnight. No outboard or electric motors allowed on District waters except as listed.)

BOATING WATERS (Outboard Motors Allowed)

DesPlaines River: Wheeling, IL to Lemont, IL for all watercraft. One ramp at Plank Rd. Meadow which is located N. of Ogden Ave., just E. of First Ave. in Lyons, IL.

Little Calumet River: for all watercraft. Two ramps; one north of Jackson St., E. of Ashland Ave.; the other is S. of 131st St., W. of the Calumet Expressway.

BOATING WATERS (Electric Motors Only — No Outboard Motors on Watercraft)

Beck Lake: N. of Central Rd., E. of River Rd. Sailboats, canoes, and rowboats. Launching ramp available off of parking area.

Big Bend Lake: SW. corner of Golf and E. River Roads. Sailboats, canoes and rowboats. Launching ramp available off of parking area.

Busse Lake: S. of Higgins Rd. between I-290 (Rt. 53) and Arlington Hts. Rd. Sailboats, canoes, and rowboats are allowed in the South Pool and on the Main Lake. Access to ramps off of Higgins Rd. just E. of I-290 (Rt. 53). Boat rental.

Skokie Lagoons: N. of Willow Rd., S. of Lake-Cook Rd., E. of the Edens Expressway. Parking and launching ramp S. of Tower Rd., E. of the Edens. For Sailboats, canoes, and rowboats.

I & M Canal: Willow Springs area — enter at Willow Springs Rd. — Canoes only.

Powderhorn Lake: N. of Brainard Ave., E. of Burnham Ave. Sailboats, canoes and rowboats. Launching ramp off parking lot.

Maple Lake: S. of 95th St., W. of Willow Springs Rd. Rowboat rental — no private rowboats.

Saganashkee Slough: S. of 107th St., W. of Willow Springs Rd. Private canoes and rowboats. Launch from west parking lot only.

Tampier Lake: W. of Wolf Rd., S. of 131st St. Rowboat rental. Private canoes and rowboats. Launch ramp off of 131st St.

Turtlehead Lake: S. of 135th St. on W. side of Harlem Ave. Sailboats only.

DesPlaines River: Three carry-in launching areas; (1) Stony Ford, which is S. off of Joliet Rd., 1/2 mile W. of Harlem Ave.; (2) Columbia Woods off of Willow Springs Rd., just across river from Willow Springs, IL; (3) Lemont Landing off of Stevens St. in Lemont, IL.; (4) Allison Woods off of Milwaukee Ave., S. of Willow Rd.