KAYAKING
INDEPENDENCE GROVE
Independence Grove is the jewel of the Lake
County Forest Preserve District. The property was purchased by the forest
preserve district in 1978 while still a 40 foot deep, active gravel quarry.
Revenues from its operations were put into a fund which later helped pay
to transform it into this facility, a 115 acre lake surrounded by 70 acres
of native prairie planted with with 100,000 wildflowers and thousands of
trees and bushes. It is located on Buckley Road (Route 137) just east of
Milwaukee Avenue (Route 21)
The Des Plaines River
Bike Trail passes Independence Grove, providing another means of entrance.
If you drive in, Lake County residents are free and others pay a nominal
charge. The water is seldom crowded and fishermen in boats usually outnumber
recreational boaters.
This is the canoe, kayak, paddleboat, hydro-bike,
and rowboat rental area (available in season). You are not allowed to put
your own watercraft into the lake, but there is a free boat launch onto
the Des Plaines River. This would be a wonderful place to learn canoeing
or kayaking. This photo is from the outdoor seating for the concession area,
and just out of view to the right is the swimming beach.
This map shows the main body of water and
the side bays, which are accessible under bridges. Two trails circumnavigate
the lake, the Overlook Trail (paved 3.7 miles) up high on the quarry lip
around the perimeter and the Lakeshore Trail (crushed limestone 3.2 miles)
at the water's edge. The beach, Visitor's Center, concession stand, and
boat rentals are all in the small bay in the bottom right section, reached
by turning right after passing the entrance station.
see www.chicagopaddling.org
for Chicago area waterways for paddling/fishing