Date: Sunday, July 25, 2021
Leaders: Sherri Graham and John Anderson
Details: We haven't done this trip in about 6 years...we used to camp at Kankakee River State Park and paddle two stretches of the river on the same weekend but with the closure of the campground (due to budget issues...) that has not worked out.
While this is a little far for a day trip...This river has water and most others in the area currently DON'T! We will paddle from the IN/IL state line to Momence, IL. This area is part of the Grand Kankaee Marsh that has been in planning phase for years...we have lost track of the recent developments but will try to find updated information before our day on the water together.
This is a really nice trip; the view at the put-in is rather amazing. When you look upstream you see the Kankakee River Ditch in Indiana that was engineered by the US Army Corps of Engineers; when you look downstream, you see the natural curves and shoreline of the portion in Illinois. The stretch has some cottages on it but if you look at the opposite shore it is undeveloped/wild...and all of it is usually quiet.
Directions: The put-in is the Boat ramp located at the intersection of State Line Road and the River at the North side (DO NOT try to access this from the south - the bridge is closed!). You may access State Line Road from IL RT 17. Go south of RT 17 approximately 3 miles to the closed bridge at the river. There is a large gravel parking lot on the left. Carshift at 10:00 am; please call/e-mail if you plan to attend.