KAYAKING
BUSSE RESERVOIR
Busse Reservoir is located in Ned Brown Forest
Preserve, south of Higgins Road between I-290 and Arlington Heights Road,
near the suburbs of Elk Grove Village and Schaumburg. Canoe and rowboat
rentals are available in season.
Busse Reservoir has a total area of 590 acres
with 20 miles of shoreline. Three separate "pools" exist. The
main pool (419 acres) and the south pool (146 acres) have boat launches
and allow sailboats, rowboats, kayaks, and canoes. The north pool (25 acres)
is shore fishing only. The islands are bird sanctuaries and are home to
numerous great blue heron and white egrets. Water depths range up to 14
feet.
The reservoir is part of the Salt Creek flood
prevention program and is the largest of several reservoirs. The entire
forest preserve has numerous recreational opportunities and gets heavy usage.
The launch area has two ramps, although I
often use the gravel shore instead. Maps of the lake and its islands are
available on the Forest Preserve District
of Cook County website, or you can just explore on your own. Boat rentals
are available in this area.
Galyans was sponsoring their "Paddle
in the Park" and had a plethora of watercraft available for potential
customers to try. Unfortunately the cool, windy weather left many boats
high and dry.
See www.chicagopaddling.org
for Chicago area waterways for paddling/fishing maps and info.