Chicago River
Kayak spot · United States
Flat water: a lake, canal or slow river
Is it worth the trip?
65Good out of 100 for your dates
Best on Fri 6: Wind 3 kn gusting 11, Air 13 °C
Tue 3 · 0 out of 100
- Wind
- 10 kn
- Gusts
- 22kntoo gusty
- Air
- 22°C
- Rain
- 0.3 mm
Wed 4 · 0 out of 100
- Wind
- 10 kn
- Gusts
- 20kntoo gusty
- Air
- 18°C
- Rain
- 2.1 mm
Thu 5 · 34 out of 100
- Wind
- 8 kn
- Gusts
- 17kntoo gusty
- Air
- 15°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Fri 6 · 85 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 11kn
- Air
- 13°C
- Rain
- 1.5 mm
Sat 7 · 82 out of 100
- Wind
- 2 kn
- Gusts
- 9kntoo gusty
- Air
- 12°C
- Rain
- 1.5 mm
Sun 8 · 69 out of 100
- Wind
- 5 kn
- Gusts
- 19kntoo gusty
- Air
- 10°C
- Rain
- 8.1 mm
Mon 9 · 82 out of 100
- Wind
- 4 kn
- Gusts
- 13kn
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 1.5 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Mon 279, good
- Tue 30, poor
- Wed 40, poor
- Thu 534, poor
- Fri 685, good
- Sat 782, good
- Sun 869, good
- Mon 982, good
- Tue 100, poor
- Wed 1179, good
The spot in two facts
- Flat waterthe water
- Best in Jul7 good days in 7
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 | 79, good | 6 kn | 14kntoo gusty | 16°C | 0.1 mm |
| Tue 3Nov | 0, poor | 10 kn | 22kntoo gusty | 22°C | 0.3 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 0, poor | 10 kn | 20kntoo gusty | 18°C | 2.1 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 34, poor | 8 kn | 17kntoo gusty | 15°C | 0 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 85, good | 3 kn | 11kn | 13°C | 1.5 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 82, good | 2 kn | 9kntoo gusty | 12°C | 1.5 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 69, good | 5 kn | 19kntoo gusty | 10°C | 8.1 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 82, good | 4 kn | 13kn | 11°C | 1.5 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 0, poor | 15 kn | 33kntoo gusty | 11°C | 2.7 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 79, good | 4 kn | 14kntoo gusty | 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
best in Jul
Good kayaking days in a typical week, each month, for new paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan1of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb1of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar1of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr2of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May4of 7: a trip from Sat 1 May
- Jun6of 7: a trip from Sat 5 Jun
- Jul7of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Jul
- Aug6of 7: a trip from Sat 7 Aug
- Sep6of 7: a trip from Sat 4 Sept
- Oct3of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov1of 7: a trip from Tue 3 Nov
- Dec1of 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. For new paddlers the best month is usually July, with about 7 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. 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$891–US$1,590 each
about US$891–US$1,590 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 30 October 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$348–US$583 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | about US$342–US$636 |
| Kayak hire | 5 days, or bring your own | about US$201–US$375 |
| Total | about US$891–US$1,590 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026.
Where to stay: Chicago
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 30 October 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