Is it worth the trip?
86Good out of 100 for your dates
Best on Tue 3: Wind 9 kn gusting 20, Air 22 °C
Tue 3 · 89 out of 100
- Wind
- 9 kn
- Gusts
- 20kn
- Air
- 22°C
- Rain
- 0.3 mm
Wed 4 · 83 out of 100
- Wind
- 10 kn
- Gusts
- 23kntoo gusty
- Air
- 18°C
- Rain
- 2.1 mm
Thu 5 · 83 out of 100
- Wind
- 8 kn
- Gusts
- 24kn
- Air
- 15°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Fri 6 · 88 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 11kn
- Air
- 13°C
- Rain
- 1.5 mm
Sat 7 · 87 out of 100
- Wind
- 2 kn
- Gusts
- 9kn
- Air
- 12°C
- Rain
- 1.5 mm
Sun 8 · 79 out of 100
- Wind
- 5 kn
- Gusts
- 19kn
- Air
- 10°C
- Rain
- 8.1 mm
Mon 9 · 85 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 291, good
- Tue 389, good
- Wed 483, good
- Thu 583, good
- Fri 688, good
- Sat 787, good
- Sun 879, good
- Mon 985, good
- Tue 100, poor
- Wed 1185, good
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 | 91, good | 7 kn | 17kn | 16°C | 0.1 mm |
| Tue 3Nov | 89, good | 9 kn | 20kn | 22°C | 0.3 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 83, good | 10 kn | 23kntoo gusty | 18°C | 2.1 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 83, good | 8 kn | 24kn | 15°C | 0 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 88, good | 3 kn | 11kn | 13°C | 1.5 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 87, good | 2 kn | 9kn | 12°C | 1.5 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 79, good | 5 kn | 19kn | 10°C | 8.1 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 85, good | 4 kn | 13kn | 11°C | 1.5 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 0, poor | 15 kn | 33kntoo gusty | 11°C | 2.7 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 85, good | 5 kn | 16kn | 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 grade III paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan4of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb4of 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
- Dec4of 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
Ping Tom Boat House on Google Maps · Directions
Each place wears its best day on these dates: green good, amber fair, pale red poor, as the key says.
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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
More kayaking near here
5 places
- Park No. 571 Boat Launch 2.9 km away
- Chicago River 3.6 km away
- Richard J. Daley Park Boat Launch 5 km away
- North Branch Canal 5.5 km away
- North Branch Canal 5.9 km away
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Ping Tom Boat House
A launch. No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle. The town to stay in is Chicago. Within 5 km we also list 4 wind sports spots and 3 kayak spots.
- Grade No grade is stated.
- Who it suits No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle.
- Access No source states the access rules: check locally.
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
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 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
No paddling school, club or hire mapped within 25 km.
Schools, clubs and hire: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits