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Park No. 571 Boat Launch
Kayak spot · United States
Flat water: a lake, canal or slow river
Is it worth the trip?
55Fair out of 100 for your dates
Best on Sat 7: Wind 3 kn gusting 11, Air 13 °C
Tue 3 · 0 out of 100
- Wind
- 11 kn
- Gusts
- 23kntoo gusty
- Air
- 21°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Wed 4 · 0 out of 100
- Wind
- 13 kn
- Gusts
- 26kntoo gusty
- Air
- 18°C
- Rain
- 3.4 mm
Thu 5 · 34 out of 100
- Wind
- 8 kn
- Gusts
- 17kntoo gusty
- Air
- 14°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Fri 6 · 78 out of 100
- Wind
- 5 kn
- Gusts
- 12kn
- Air
- 13°C
- Rain
- 0.9 mm
Sat 7 · 87 out of 100
- Wind
- 3 kn
- Gusts
- 11kn
- Air
- 13°C
- Rain
- 0.3 mm
Sun 8 · 28 out of 100
- Wind
- 9 kn
- Gusts
- 18kntoo gusty
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 3.3 mm
Mon 9 · 71 out of 100
- Wind
- 7 kn
- Gusts
- 19kntoo gusty
- Air
- 11°C
- Rain
- 0 mm
Tap a day for wind, gusts, air and rain. Full forecast
Forecast: next 10 days
Full forecast- Tue 30, poor
- Wed 40, poor
- Thu 534, poor
- Fri 678, good
- Sat 787, good
- Sun 828, poor
- Mon 971, good
- Tue 1073, good
- Wed 1183, good
- Thu 1278, good
The spot in three facts
- Flat waterthe water
- 31 kmthe section
- Best Jun–Sep7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 3Nov | 0, poor | 11 kn | 23kntoo gusty | 21°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 4Nov | 0, poor | 13 kn | 26kntoo gusty | 18°C | 3.4 mm |
| Thu 5Nov | 34, poor | 8 kn | 17kntoo gusty | 14°C | 0 mm |
| Fri 6Nov | 78, good | 5 kn | 12kn | 13°C | 0.9 mm |
| Sat 7Nov | 87, good | 3 kn | 11kn | 13°C | 0.3 mm |
| Sun 8Nov | 28, poor | 9 kn | 18kntoo gusty | 11°C | 3.3 mm |
| Mon 9Nov | 71, good | 7 kn | 19kntoo gusty | 11°C | 0 mm |
| Tue 10Nov | 73, good | 6 kn | 19kn | 13°C | 0 mm |
| Wed 11Nov | 83, good | 3 kn | 13kn | 11°C | 0 mm |
| Thu 12Nov | 78, good | 6 kn | 16kn | 15°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 Jun–Sep
Good kayaking days in a typical week, each month, for new paddlers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).
- Jan2of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Jan
- Feb2of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Feb
- Mar3of 7: a trip from Sat 6 Mar
- Apr4of 7: a trip from Sat 3 Apr
- May6of 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
- Oct5of 7: a trip from Sat 2 Oct
- Nov3of 7: a trip from Wed 4 Nov
- Dec2of 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
put-in, take-out, its town
Park No. 571 Boat Launch 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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Photos of Park No. 571 Boat Launch
More kayaking near here
5 places
- Richard J. Daley Park Boat Launch 2.1 km away
- Ping Tom Boat House 2.9 km away
- Chicago River 6.3 km away
- North Branch Canal 7.1 km away
- North Branch Chicago River 7.3 km away
About
the place in full, sources, credits
About Park No. 571 Boat Launch
A river section on the South Fork South Branch Chicago River, from a put-in down to a take-out. It runs 31 km along the river. No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle. 6 paddling schools, clubs or hire within 10 km, the nearest 2.9 km away. For new paddlers the best months are usually June, July, August and September, with about 7 good days in 7; in January, February and December, about 2. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Chicago. Within 5 km we also list 1 wind sports spot and 2 kayak spots.
- River South Fork South Branch Chicago River
- Grade No grade is stated.
- Length 31 km along the river.
- Who it suits No grade stated: ask locally before you paddle.
- Access No source states the access rules: check locally.
- Schools, hire 6 paddling schools, clubs or hire within 10 km, the nearest 2.9 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 10 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
REI Co-op Kayak Rentals at Ping Tom Memorial Park 2.9 km
Ping Tom Boat House 2.9 km
Urban Kyaks 6.1 km
Urban Kayaks 6.3 km
Bobby's Kayak 7.0 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
Saved: this link opens the same trip
The link holds the trip itself: nothing about you is kept. Check the forecast again before you book.