Des Plaines
b) Lockport, Fishnet Rapids: Romeo Rd. to Division St. (0.75 mile or 4.25 mile)
| Difficulty | I-II |
| Length | 4.4 mi |
| Avg Gradient | 7 fpm |
| Gauge | Des Plaines River at Riverside, Il |
| Flow Rate as of 1 hour | 286 cfsbelow recommended |
| Reach Info Last Updated | October 27, 2022 |
River Description
As of Spring, 2021 we have information that Lockport Prairie Nature Preserve (LPNP) is increasing enforcement of regulations which prohibit foot traffic anywhere other than formally designated trails. This means taking out river-right at Division Street is unlawful, since there is not a formally designated boat landing or foot trails there. If access and parking can be found via Powerhouse Road, it may be possible to legally take out river-left. Otherwise, it would be necessary to proceed downriver to Joliet to either Hwy.53/Ruby Street (adding 3.3 miles of flatwater) or to Bridge Street/W.Jackson Street (adding 3.8 miles of flatwater).
Start your trip at Isle la Cache. A museum there (open 10am-4pm Tu-Sa, 12-4 Su) offers information about the history of the area, and has a (no fee) canoe launch. Each year (usually about the second weekend of June) they have an 'Island Rendezvous' in which re-enactors from all over the Midwest come and demonstrate what life was like for Native Americans and French fur traders in the 17th and 18th centuries. Come enjoy the 'feasting, playing, and dancing'. (See their calendar for other events.)
On the river, the steeper gradient (such as it is) lies in the half-mile downstream of the Hwy.7 bridge, so many boaters will just use that location for 'park-and-play' access.
For additional description, see Chicago Area Paddling and Fishing Guide.
Puting on at Isle a la Cache, you have multiple routes through braided channels. River right is the most common, and there are eddylines by the bridge abutment that are ideal for beginner practice. There is generally good current
...River Features
Put In
Access for park-and-play
We are uncertain at this time of the best location for parking and river access, but we understand that boaters use this area to 'park-and-play' the best of the gradient of this reach.
Take Out
Trip Reports
Log in to add a reportBridge Street Not Briggs Street. I believe the description intended to describe the Joliet access as 'Bridge Street', which crosses the Des Plaines River, and NOT 'Briggs Street', which does not. I repeated the error in my previous note. My apologies.
ACCESS ISSUE: Today, March 1, 2021, a police officer was waiting for me at the Division Street (abandoned bridge) take-out, which is located on Will County (IL) Forest Preserve District property, and is categorized as a Nature Preserve. The officer informed me, as a Nature Preserve, general access is not allowed; one must stay on the designated trail. Thus, this is NOT an access point for the Des Plaines. She did not ticket me, but informed me that 'they' (by whom I assume she meant the IDNR Conservation Police) were cracking down. I interpreted this to mean tickets will start being issued at some point.
There is signage that designates the area a Nature Preserve, but nothing that says 'stay on designated trail' or the like. The closest are a couple of small (9' x 14') yellowed, rusty signs that say the land is owned and managed by Will County Forest preserve District and governed by Forest Preserve Ordinance #124.
I reviewed Ordinance #124. Chapter IV, SECTION 2 states, 'WATERCRAFT. No PERSON shall bring into, attempt to launch or use, or navigate any WATERCRAFT upon the WATERS, except at designated areas' or by obtaining permission. Since the area is NOT designated as a boat launch, it is NOT an authorized access point. The Ordinance also discusses not disturbing the land, plant life and animals, which is what the officer told me: Tromping through the Preserve causes erosion and disturbs the plants and animals there.
I assume this means one will need to paddle the the Joliet Briggs Street access discussed in the description for this river, and should plan accordingly. If I find better/alternate access point I will update this post. Dan
this shot shows the path coming around the first bend into the main channel. the current picks up right around that bend and you get some rolling waves before the bigger drop
closeup of the main drop section. nice waves and a mouthful of reclaimated water. at lower levels there is a decent eddy on river right just past this drop (tough to get into the main wave though). at higher flows 1600+ a side channel through the island opens up and washes this eddy out a bit
at higher flows (1600+) you get some decent looking standing waves in the upstream river-right most channel in the background of this picture. This channel dumps into the main channel with the main drop, but you will miss the main drop by taking the river right upstream channel
main channel gets fairly washed out around 1600cfs and looses the dynamic of being a chute-like drop. although it does provide some great quick current and some solid 3' standing waves to plow through and over
4+ feet, plus wave train with 2-3 foot waves going on for about 500 feet. This level has bigger rapids than at 1300 cfs.
This is a side view of the same rapids. If you start at this rapid (channel 2 from river left), you can ride a wave train down to next set of rapids, and then shortly some smaller ones south of the old bridge at the Lockport Prairie Preserve.
Access is at Lockport Prairie Nature Reserve, at the Intersection of Route 53 and Division St (Stateville Prison at SW cornernof this intersection). Drive into park to end of road, and walk up river bed (rocks, not mud) about 1/4 mile to these and other rapids. Have been told rapids can get twice as big under higher water conditions.