PADDLING THE KANKAKEE RIVER

kankakee river across the river meanders, leaving the Treefalls can clog road and railroad The “Kankakee” in NW Indiana LAKE MICHIGAN water trail provides an 85 mile paddling many oxbow lakes and isolated meanders bridges with few portage opportunities. experience on a nationally historic, that characterize the 90 mile corridor today. Call for information before a trip. Visually undammed river flowing thru The drained bottomlands are highly check the often-clogged Rte. 41 and several state & county parks.There productive corn, soybean, and wheat abandoned railroad bridges south of are few services available, and croplands today, although wet years result Schneider before starting your trip. Visually limited seasons for paddling due to in flooding of the fields. A paddle trip down check for log jams at county and state LAKE PORTER LAPORTE flood events and hunting season, the Kankakee is characterized by many highway bridges before starting your trip. COUNTY COUNTY COUNTY but for the moderately skilled, drainage pipes and side channels as well as Call the Kankakee River Basin well-prepared paddler, the Kankakee the flood control levee, with significant Commission 219-763-0696, for a general greenways & blueways is a great experience. Additional wetland habitat preserves and restoration status report on known log jams. Report 1 northwest indiana regional plan support services are planned projects on stretches of public lands, new log jams and other dangerous 2 in the future. as well as many private landowner conditions to 219-763-0696. managed habitats. If you encounter an unexpected log jam 3 HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY Wildlife and wetland plant habitat is on your trip, head for the shoreline 5 greenwaysblueways.com excellent in the river's marsh areas. Beaver, immediately to reconnoiter a safe passage, 4 The Kankakee River had its beginnings muskrat, deer, turkey vultures, walleye, if any. Do not attempt to chance it through 14,000-15,000 years ago as glacial ice 6 northern pike, bass, and panfish are what you think might be a possible advances underwent multiple meltings, common.The greater prairie chicken, opening. Stop and be certain. If you guess spreading sands and silts across a 3000 sandhill crane, osprey and golden & bald wrong, you can put yourself and fellow square mile basin with a very flat eagles might be encountered.The paddlers at risk of capsizing and drowning. topography. Exposed bedrock in Momence, channelization has decimated the mussel It is usually impossible to extricate Illinois plugged the sediment basin and 2011 EDITION population, but 100 year old shells of the yourself from being entangled in a treefall’s kept the Kankakee from downcutting, EMERGENCY 911 spike, mucket, plain pocketbook, elktoe, underwater branches in a strong current. resulting in a vast wetland and 200+ mile Know your location before dialing heelsplitter and sandshells can be seen in If you become trapped upstream of an meandering river stretching from within a the walls of the levee.The river banks are impassable log jam, head for shore, make mile of the St. Joseph River in today’s filled with native mallow flowers in August. your way to a road, and phone for NON-EMERGENCY South Bend, Indiana to the bedrock dam in assistance. Plan ahead with a friend for Lake County Sheriff Momence.The resulting St. emergency shuttle if you can’t make it to an 219-755-3000 Joseph/Kankakee river trail became the intended takeout. primary route of east-west human migration Porter County Sheriff The river should never be paddled at, or for Paleo-Indians, and the subsequent 219-477-3000 near, flood stage. Many bridges become Archaic, Woodland, Mississipian, and impassable at various flood stages. Log La Porte County Sheriff proto-historic First American cultures for jams increase the danger. Rainfall events 219-326-7700 over 10,000 years. French-Canadian days or weeks previous to an intended explorers, such as Charlevoix, La Salle, Indiana State Police (Lowell) paddle can still affect river elevations for Tonti, and Father Hennepin, who left a 219-696-6242 long periods afterward. Spring runoff can recorded history, followed the well known raise river elevations for weeks or months. water passage starting in the 1680’s. Go to greenwaysblueways.com for daily Throughout the 1700’s, French-Canadian USGS river level gaging information GENERALSAFETYADVICE trappers, British military, and finally early measured at U.S. Rte. 30, Dunn’s Bridge, American hunters and trappers made • Always wear a personal Kouts, Shelby, and Momence floatation device (PFD) extensive use of the Kankakee River and The river flows through many hunting wetlands. 20,000-40,000 muskrats per year Be prepared for changing preserves. Furbearing and turkey hunting • were trapped between 1834-1884. 19th weather conditions starts in mid-October. Deer, pheasant, and century hunters provided waterfowl to Keep spare clothing in a sealed bag SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS quail hunting starts in November. Some • Chicago hotels restaurants. Hunting lodges Bring adequate food and water.Water is ON THE KANKAKEE migratory waterfowl can be hunted starting • were built in the 1870’s-1900’s era attracting not available at most access sites While the Kankakee is undammed, it does Sept. 1.The main duck hunting season runs hunting sportsmen from throughout the Don’t overload your canoe have potentially serious safety issues from mid-Oct. to mid-Dec. Dates can vary. • U.S. including President Cleveland,Teddy which must be considered before making Check www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild. • Know your abilities and Roosevelt. Lew Wallace wrote Ben Hur, in physical limitations a trip. There are few services immediately his houseboat on the river. You are The Kankakee River WaterTrail for canoes available if serious problems are Leave a trip plan with friends/family paddling on one of the most notable • and kayaks is in its early stages of encountered. Know your location as water trails in our continent’s prehistory development. Some access points have steep accurately as possible, and always carry a and history. RIVER COURTESY grades.There are very few support facilities, cell phone. The glacial silts and wetland organic soils Shorelines are public only at yellow such as washrooms, fresh water, designated • were known to be highly productive for shaded public properties portages around log jams at highway and 6100 SOUTHPORT ROAD agriculture, if drained. In the 1850’s All other dikes and shorelines are railroad bridges, and clear signage to guide • PORTAGE, INDIANA 46368 Congress granted the swamplands to the privately owned and should not be you to some obscurely located access sites. (219) 763-6060 State of Indiana and drainage companies accessed unless in an emergency (Check nwipa.org, or obtain a good local road started digging the first of what would map from Lake, Porter, or La Porte County.) A • Don’t leave litter. Be a river steward become 100’s of miles of ditches and clean up litter number of improvements to the water trail will throughout the basin. In 1893 the bedrock develop in upcoming years. Starting in the Respect the rights of anglers obstruction in Momence was lowered which • 2011 kickoff season for the water trail, it can and hunters Blueways Plan Implementation meant the gradient of the river could be Funded by ArcelorMittal be paddled by experienced paddlers until Always be courteous increased.The main channel of the river • future improvements are in place. was straightened in 1903-1922 by dredging Supported by the Kankakee River Basin Commission

JOIN THE GREENWAYS Kingsbury Access (219) 393-3612 FOUNDATION OF No Facilities 2 INDIANA Site Owner: DNR bridges Charitable trust working to promote wildlife.in.gov the growth, enhancement and use of Road Indiana greenways.

Crumstown Rd. greenwaysfoundation.org Railroad JOIN THE NORTHWEST INDIANA PADDLING Pedestrian ASSOCIATION Route 8 Access Jasinski Landing Access Blueways Stewardship, Paddler (574) 896-3522 No Facilities 1 Education,and Providing Paddling No Facilities Site Owner: St. Joseph County Opportunities to our Community Site Owner: DNR 3 Parks & Recreation nwipa.org wildlife.in.gov sjcparks.org E 300 S LaPorte 12 miles Little Barringer River Rd. Kingsbury State Kankakee Ditch New Rd. 1 River Niespodziany Fish &Wildlife Area Rte. 4 Ditch E 525S Jasinski to Kingsbury North Liberty 12.3 miles 5 miles Rte. 104 Geyer Ditch 1 2 Pine/ Potato Creek

Crumstown Rd.

Whitham Ditch W 1500S N 2 Salisbury Ditch

Rte. 30 N 50E W 600N

MarguardtCuster Ditch Arm Ditch E 1200S E 1000S Long Ditch Rte. 35

Rte.6 Robbins Ditch Rte. 8 3 Kingsbury to Rte. 8 Bailey Ditch 15.5 miles Knox W 800S 8 miles Jensen Ditch

N 300E W 100N

Rte. 39 N 200W greenways & blueways KANKAKEE RIVER WATER TRAIL northwest indiana regional plan greenwaysblueways.com

Bigger Rd. Rte 8 LaCrosse 7.5 miles

3 LaCrosse4 miles Pitner Ditch Sands N Kankakee State Ditch Jensen Ditch 4 Prochaska Ditch Yellow River to Dunn’s Bridge Fish & Wildlife Area S 500E Payned Ditch Origer Ditch N 8.6 miles Rte. 421 Hanna Arm of

Rashusseu Ditch Julesburg Ditch Toto Rd.

400 Yellow River Prettyman Ditch

Lawton Ditch yu Ditch Mylus

Hinshaw Ditch

Dunn’s Bridge Yellow River Baum’s Bridge Route 49 (English Lake) Access 7 Rest stop 6 Access 5 4 P Site Owner: Access Porter County Parks (574) 896-3522 porterco.org Site Owner: Indiana DNR Baum’s Bridge Inn P Five car max. May park in wildlife.in.gov (219) 766-0515 front of Collier Lodge. Donation to Kankakee Valley Historical Society Rte. 49 Recommended. 500 E.

Access at North Bank, Kankakee River S 650 W East side of bridge. Steep poured concrete. P Moderately difficult. Park 125 W at Collier Lodge 100 Yellow River yards North of Bridge.

Baum’s Bridge Benkie Rd. Ditch Kouts S 250W Reeves 4.5 miles Crooked Creek Ditch N Cook Ditch 500 E. Phillips Ditch

Rte. 49 125W

Sandy Hook Ditch 12 miles Heimburg Ditch Baum’s Bridge to Grand Kankakee Marsh County Park 6 5 400W 7 Wheatfield Dunn’s Bridge to Baum’s Bridge 5 miles AukikiWetland 6.6 miles State DNR & 4 Nature Conservancy

bridges

Restroom Grand Kankakee Ramsey’s Landing Road Shelby/Route 55 Marsh County Rest Stop Access 10 P Park Access 9 No Access 8 Railroad S625W Pedestrian

Co. Rd. 700 t.55 Rte.

Martis Place Restaurant

Clay St. Food, Rest Stop, Landing

E 217th Ave Stone Rd. N 625W Town of Breyfogel Ditch Clay St.

Rte. 55 Shelby Grand Kankakee 1700 I - 65 Marsh County Park Shelby Rd. 10 Randplph Rd. 8 700W

Grand Kankakee Marsh Route 231 County Park4.4 to miles Shelby/Rte.55 9 Hodge Ditch 5 N 600E

ROUTE 41 River Isle Access Black Oak Bayou Access White Oak Bayou Access Park off road, West side POTENTIAL DANGER AREA! “Steep Bank” (219) 992-3019 (219) 992-8019 No Facilities 13 12 Low railroad bridge 11 15 No Facilities Site Owner: Indiana DNR Site Owner: Illinois DNR Low Highway bridge Site Owner: Indiana DNR wildlife.in.gov wildlife.in.gov Often Impassible due to

State Line Rd. high water or log blockage Portage Drive or walk to route 41 bridge and Location visually check before attempting to paddle under these bridges. Rte. 41 N. Riverside Rd. State Line Bridge Access (219) 992-3019 RR P Bob’s Rd. No Services 14 Impassable low bridge Site Owner: Indiana DNR Rte. 41

Rte. 52 Town of Schneider

Rte. 41 MomenceWetands 13 Illinois Natural Area 14 Stateline Rd. 11 Shelby/Rte. 55 to White Oak Bayou Momence 6.8 miles 4 .0 miles State Line Bridge to River Isle 6.0 miles Best Ditch White Oak Bayou to State Line Bridge 3.6 miles 15 245th Ave. Whitcomb St. N 232E La Salle State Niemeyer Creek Rte. 114 Fish &Wildlife Area Beaver Lake Ditch 12 E 1200N

14500 E. River Isle Rd.

Lake Village 3 miles Rte. 10

ILLINOIS

INDIANA

N 100E 6 N 200E Knight Ditch N