Bailey Creek

Quick Facts:

Location: 2 miles SouthEast from Oglesby, or 5 miles SouthEast from LaSalle.
Shuttle Length: usually carry-up, 2/3 of a mile. (See details in description below.)

Character: A steep (not quite vertical) waterfall, and runout.

Put-in is approximately 539' elevation.
Take-out is approximately 469' elevation.
Thus total elevation change is approximately 70'.

Video: https://youtu.be/qiiFmeFWY5Y?feature=shared&t=169

General Overview

Bailey Creek is a tributary of the Vermilion. While it can be done on its own (using the put-in listed on this description name), the section above the falls is nothing but strainers with knee deep mud portages. Thus, Bailey is more often done as a side-trip while running the Vermilion.

Bailey Falls (in its present condition) is not a natural formation, but the result of quarrying. Click here to see a stereoscope image of Bailey Falls before it was quarried.

Bailey Creek is now part of the ILDNR properties, but has not yet been officially cleared for public access.

A third of a mile downstream of Wildcat Rapid, look for the mouth of Bailey Creek on river left. The hike up is about two-thirds of a mile on decent trail. From a gravel beach just past the mouth of the creek, go uphill about seventy-five feet to a dirt road. Turn right (away from the creek) and go another eighty feet to a small path ascending to the left. After 150 yards this path encounters a dirt road. Double back to the left on this, and hike a quarter-mile to a fork in the path. The left fork leads down to a large culvert in the river (referred to in the river description below). Bear right at this fork and continue another quarter-mile to the falls. (Partway along this stretch, a path/road

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