THE KANKAKEE RIVER: CANOEING OPPORTUNITIES
CANOEING MAP
The source of the Kankakee River was discovered by LaSalle's party, as they came down from Mackinac in 1679. They apparently followed the river from its source, in what is now Indiana, to the confluence of the Illinois River.
There are several good places to put in upstream from Kankakee. One is at the bridge at Indiana Route 41, and another is at the LaSalle State Fish and Game Area in Indiana. This area is 2 miles west of Route 41, on the county road north of the river. A third access is at the southeast corner of the bridge on the Indiana state line, but there is only limited parking space here.
Momence Island Park, or the park area northeast of the bridge across from Island Park, is an access; as is the road off Route 17 at Momence. At Momence, go southwest of the bridge to leave the road. This access is limited and is not as satisfactory as it is to take the road from Route 17 south to Aroma Park. About 2 miles south of Route 17, the road lies close to the river and access is easy. At Aroma Park, there are city parks east of the bridge on both sides of the River.
This is a beautiful section of the river. It is a secluded, swampy area rich in wildlife and is the best section of the river for paddling. The river is open and has a good current to Aroma Park.
Downstream from Momence, there are increasing numbers of cottages and vacation cabins; and motorboats may be numerous on the way to Kankakee. The river flows for 34.0 miles in Kankakee County, 19.0 miles in Will County, and 2.5 miles in Grundy County. There are many riffles and pools. The river flowing over the Silurian limestone has eroded the bed, to form ledges and exposed rock, which may scrape the bottoms of canoes. These ledges are followed by deep pools, and much care should be taken to avoid stepping into the deep holes. Some of these holes are as deep as 18 feet, and many people have drowned in the Kankakee River.
The river widens from about 420 feet in Kankakee County to 790 feet in Will County and 1700 feet in Grundy County. The bottom varies to include bedrock, sand, rubble, boulders, mud, weeds and gravel. The banks are sandy to muddy, and the current is swift enough to be treacherous.
