Chicago River
Kayak spot · United States
Flat water: a lake, canal or slow river
Is it worth the trip?
91Good out of 100 for your dates
Best on Tue 3: Wind 10 kn gusting 21, Air 23 °C
Tue 3 · 98 out of 100
- Wind
- 10 kn
- Gusts
- 21kn
- Air
- 23°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Wed 4 · 94 out of 100
- Wind
- 9 kn
- Gusts
- 25kn
- Air
- 18°C
- Rain
- 10.6 mm
Thu 5 · 89 out of 100
- Wind
- 9 kn
- Gusts
- 27kn
- Air
- 14°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Fri 6 · 88 out of 100
- Wind
- 5 kn
- Gusts
- 14kn
- Air
- 12°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Sat 7 · 87 out of 100
- Wind
- 4 kn
- Gusts
- 11kn
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 0.6 mm
Sun 8 · 85 out of 100
- Wind
- 9 kn
- Gusts
- 23kn
- Air
- 10°C
- Rain
- 3.3 mm
Mon 9 · 84 out of 100
- Wind
- 7 kn
- Gusts
- 21kn
- Air
- 9°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Mon 293, good
- Tue 398, good
- Wed 494, good
- Thu 589, good
- Fri 688, good
- Sat 787, good
- Sun 885, good
- Mon 984, good
- Tue 1087, good
- Wed 1185, good
The spot in one fact
- Flat waterthe water
Full forecast
every day, every number
The score doesn't know the river level, weirs or your skill.
| Day | Score | Wind | Gusts | Air | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 2Nov | 93, good | 8 kn | 20kn | 16°C | 0.8 mm |
| Tue 3Nov | 98, good | 10 kn | 21kn | 23°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 94, good | 9 kn | 25kn | 18°C | 10.6 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 89, good | 9 kn | 27kn | 14°C | 0 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 88, good | 5 kn | 14kn | 12°C | 0 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 87, good | 4 kn | 11kn | 11°C | 0.6 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 85, good | 9 kn | 23kn | 10°C | 3.3 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 84, good | 7 kn | 21kn | 9°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 87, good | 5 kn | 18kn | 11°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 85, good | 5 kn | 17kn | 10°C | 0 mm |
Wind and gusts are in knots, rain in mm. River levels: no free forecast gives them, so check a gauge before you go. More
Forecast updated . It refreshes every three hours. Forecast data: ECMWF, DWD, Météo-France and NOAA, served by Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0). Changed by us. Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information.
Best time to go
No month stands out
Good kayaking days in a typical week, each month, for expert paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan4of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb5of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar5of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr6of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May7of 7: a trip from Sat 1 May
- Jun7of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Jun
- Jul7of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Jul
- Aug7of 7: a trip from Sat 7 Aug
- Sep7of 7: a trip from Sat 4 Sept
- Oct6of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov5of 7: a trip from Tue 3 Nov
- Dec5of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Dec
Tap a month to see this spot for a trip then.
Typical weather, not a forecast, and not the river's level: a month that is often good to be outside may still be low water.
Map
the spot and its town
Chicago River on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
The map needs JavaScript. Every place on it is listed on this page, and each place's page links to Google Maps.
One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Photos of Chicago River
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More kayaking near here
5 places
- North Branch Canal 3.5 km away
- Ping Tom Boat House 3.6 km away
- North Branch Canal 3.9 km away
- North Branch Chicago River 4.2 km away
- Park No. 571 Boat Launch 6.3 km away
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Chicago River
A launch on the Chicago River. No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle. OpenStreetMap marks the water open to canoes and kayaks. 7 paddling schools, clubs or hire within 10 km, the nearest 0.0 km away. The town to stay in is Chicago. Within 5 km we also list 3 wind sports spots and 4 kayak spots.
- River Chicago River
- Grade No grade is stated.
- Who it suits No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle.
- Access OpenStreetMap marks the water open to canoes and kayaks.
- Schools, hire 7 paddling schools, clubs or hire within 10 km, the nearest 0.0 km away.
Spots and rivers: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Whitewater sections © Rivermap (rivermap.org), Riverzone and Jonathan Riddell, ODbL.
The score is the conditions only: the journey, the price and the partners never change it (how we score, how we earn).
Rough cost (estimate): about US$892–US$1,600 each
about US$892–US$1,600 each · 6 nights, 2 sharing: fuel, stay, food, kayak hire.
Our estimate from typical public prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book (where they come from). Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 2 November 2026.
How we worked it out
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel | about 10 km there and back, shared | about US$0–US$0 |
| Stay | 6 nights, a mid-range double, shared | about US$349–US$584 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$342–US$637 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or bring your own | about US$201–US$376 |
| Total | about US$892–US$1,600 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Chicago
Ad Links marked Ad may pay us if you book. You pay the same, and they never change a score. How we earn
about 5 min by car · 268 places to stay
about US$134/nightcountry average
About Chicago its beds, food and every spot near it
About US$134 a night is our estimate of the country's average 2-star double room that month: not each town's price, and not a quote. Drives are estimates. Prices are about, in US Dollar (USD): our pound figures at the European Central Bank's rate of 2 November 2026.
Getting there: about 25 min
About 25 min door to door from Chicago
Drive: Drive, about 25 min
An estimate, one way; the journey never changes the score.
On the water
Kayak trips and courses in Chicago · GetYourGuideKayak hire in Chicago · GetYourGuide
Paddling schools, clubs and hire nearby
Urban Kayaks 0.0 km
Urban Kyaks 0.6 km
Bobby's Kayak 0.7 km
Ping Tom Boat House 3.6 km
REI Co-op Kayak Rentals at Ping Tom Memorial Park 3.6 km
The nearest named schools, clubs and kayak or canoe hire within 25 km, in a straight line. Listings, not a recommendation. Schools, clubs and hire: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits