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The Chicago Triangle Tour
The Chicago Triangle Tour is divided into three distinct groups: the river and canal system composed of the
Calumet River system, the Cal-Sag Channel, and the Sanitary and Ship Canal; the Chicago River; and
Lake Michigan. In this website the tour has been separated into those three categories because there are a
wide variety of starting points for this fascinating trip and therefore no exact starting point. This segment
is the Chicago Triangle Tour (the river system outside of the Chicago River and Lake Michigan).
From our experience, it is best to take this portion of the tour during daylight hours. At night the channels and canals
are so dark, you will need a spotlight to navigate. The darkness and water will seem to swallow the light beam,
forcing you to travel at idle speed. Barge traffic and floating debris makes this even trickier.
Lake Michigan
Be careful as you approach the entrance to the Calumet River. There is often a lot of chop near the
breakwaters. South of this entrance is Calumet Park, one of Chicago’s lakefront parks, and further down,
the heavily industrial region of southwestern Indiana. Billowing smokestacks appear in the horizon,
marking the steel manufacturing factories located in this area. There is a heavy concentration of shipping
facilities around the mouth of the Calumet River. The shipping vessels congregating around the
entrance to the river are mostly meeting the steel industry’s needs.
Calumet River
Quick Launch to Calumet River System Marina, Restaurant, and Launch Information
A-1 Millennium Marina
Crawley's Yacht Yard
Marine Service Corporation
Pier II Marina
Riverdale Marina
Skipper's Marina
Smuggler's Cove
Waterfront Pub
As you enter the Calumet River, you will now begin to see barges, basically huge floating storage facilities
usually measuring 35 feet wide by 109 feet long. These gigantic non-motorized vessels do not travel alone –
they are often tied up with other barges and are pushed through the waterways by tugboats. These floating
cities take up a lot of space and generally churn up the water surrounding it. Therefore, it is a wise
move to keep as far away from any moving barges as possible. Get too close to the back and you can be sure
that debris flung out from the tug’s propellers will create an obstacle course. Do not travel too closely
to the sides or front of the barges as the tugboat pilot may not be able to see you and will definitely not
be able to stop very quickly. It is especially important to be alert at night as the lighting on the barges
is minimal and their intense spotlights may blind you.
Further down the Calumet you will see the 125-foot high bridge called the Chicago Skyway. This toll way
connects the Dan Ryan Expressway with the Indiana Toll Road. Along the Chicago waterways, you will see a
diverse selection of stationary and moveable bridges.
In an effort to clear up the river, special water stations (SEPA) have been built that pull water from
the river to an elevated pool. The water then travels back to the river through a series of manmade
waterfalls, which aerates and cools the water. This process helps to keep the water in the river healthier,
making it a better environment for fish and fauna. The first SEPA station is between the Torrence Avenue
bridge and the next railroad bridge, just north of the Ford Assembly Plant.
A variety of heavy industrial companies surround the banks of the Calumet River. These include auto
assembly plants, scrap yards, cement distribution, landfills, steel recyclers, and, of course, steel.
This is not a pretty leg of the trip, but it is impressive.
There are numerous slips and turning basins along the river until you reach Lake Calumet. These provide
docking and large turning areas for the various shipping vessels and barge traffic that serve the many
plants and storage centers. Lake Calumet is one of the last remnant lakes that remained after the glacial
Lake Michigan retreated. Once the site of Pullman, a company city built by George Pullman in 1880
to house the employees of the Pullman Palace Car Company, it is now an industrial lake.
After 130th Street Bridge, the water traffic is limited to small watercraft and to river towboats and barges.
Shortly after this bridge, you will come to the Thomas J. O’Brien Lock & Dam. Just before the lock,
the water is very rough. Boats coming out of the lock push the throttle and the ensuing waves bounces off
the river walls creating chop that sometimes rivals Lake Michigan during high winds. Getting through this
lock is not as easy as the Chicago Lock. There is usually a lot of barge traffic and once again commercial
vessels have the right of way. This is compounded by the fact that a towboat may be pushing six to eight
barges. The towboat pilot must tie up the barges, break them apart, and take them one at a time into the
lock. Each barge must be tied up to the lock walls, and then the towboat goes back for the rest. After
the commercial vessels have loaded into the dock, the pleasure crafts can take up any of the remaining space.
Passengers must be wearing life jackets and you will need to secure your boat to the lock wall or
another vessel. The incoming gate is closed, the outgoing gate is opened, and the water level lowers. Once
again the lock operator signal the okay to leave the dock.
Immediately after leaving the dock, you will notice a large hill on the right side of the river. This is
not a natural formation, but rather a landfill. Eventually, this artificial rise will be turned into park and
recreational facilities. As of early 2005, no final decision on its fate has been decided. The intensity of the industrial
region gives way to a more pastoral setting with residential communities, marinas, and natural forests. As you
travel through this part of the Chicago waterways, you should be observant of the numerous no-wake zones set up
around marinas and dock areas.
At this point in the river, you will begin to encounter several marinas and boat launches. The various marinas,
restaurants, and boat launches on the Calumet River and Little Calumet River are listed in no particular order at this
time after this section.
The Grand Calumet River is a natural stream that flows into the Calumet River just under the Torrence Avenue
bridge. It’s easy to spot because there is a sunken boat right in the center of the waterway. At this
point the Calumet River becomes the Little Calumet River. On this portion of the river opposite Acme Steel
you will see the second SEPA station.
After the Conrail Bridge, the terrain once again changes, this time to forest preserves and private homes.
Heading southwest past the Halsted Street Bridge, you can see the remnants of the old Blue Island Lock that
was destroyed when the O’Brien lock was built. It is here at the old Blue Island Lock that the water changes
to the Calumet-Sag Channel, better know as the Cal-Sag.
Cal Sag Channel
This Calumet-Sag Channel had its beginnings from a small stream called Stony Creek. The channel was widened
from its original 60-feet to 225 feet in 1946. The first city encountered on this waterway is Blue Island,
which really was an island before Lake Michigan receded. You will see the third SEPA station between
Chatham Street and Western Avenue.
You will now begin to travel through various suburban cities: Robbins, Alsip, and Crestwood. At the next
community, Worth, you will find the fourth SEPA station, followed immediately by the Worth Police boat
launch. This two-lane boat launch is only a few
years old. There is plenty of dock space alongside the launch ramps, which allows you a moment to tie up
and load/unload your passengers easily. It also affords people the opportunity to watch boaters loading and
unloading their boats - as you know not always a pretty sight. The parking lot is extremely large; we
have never seen it filled to capacity. Parking for a vehicle with trailer is $7.00. Although the ramp
is manned during peak hours, you can still drop in by placing your payment in a drop-box.
Palos Heights, Palos Hills, and Palos Park appear in rapid succession. In Palos Hills the original Stony Creek
reconnects to the Cal-Sag on the north side of the channel. Just out of sight along the northern side of
the channel are several ponds and sloughs, the largest being Saganashkee Slough.
Immediately after you travel under the Sag Highway Bridge (IL Route 83), the original Illinois and
Michigan (I & M) Canal is visible. This canal was an important factor in the growth of Chicago and Illinois.
Although construction began in 1836, the canal was not completed until 1848, due to a temporary halt in 1841.
In April 1848, the General Fry, a passenger vessel, made the initial ceremonial trip down the canal. After
the first commercial cargo traveled from New Orleans through the I & M Canal to Chicago and then onwards to
Buffalo NY, Abraham Lincoln made a presentation to Congress about the importance of such an accomplishment.
With the advent of railways and the connected waterways, Chicago became known as the “Big Junction”. The
I & M Canal traveled for 96 miles from the Chicago River to the Illinois River. With a width of 60 feet and
a depth of 6 feet, it often encountered natural streams, which resulted in the construction of dams and aqueducts
to retain a consistent elevation. Though the canal was eventually enlarged, the size of the canal made for
slow, arduous travel and was eventually deserted as a navigable waterway in 1932. Presently the Illinois
and Michigan Canal National Historic Corridor forms a partnership between the federal government and the
communities that line the old canal. Preservation of historic sites and construction of parks and public
access spaces will preserve this portion of Illinois history for future generations.
After passing the I & M Canal, you will see the fifth SEPA station and the end of the Cal-Sag Channel in
the town of Lemont. A small lighthouse next to the SEPA station marks the turning point between the
Cal-Sag and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal. It is here that you will make a sharp U-turn to enter
the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal and begin your journey back towards Chicago. If you were driving on
Route 83, you would pass over several waterways, the Des Plaines River, the Sanitary and Ship Canal,
the Illinois & Michigan Canal, and the Cal-Sag Channel, all within an extremely short distance of each other.
Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal
Now heading back in an easterly direction, you will pass the Hannah Marine shipyard. If you look to the
right, you may be able to see the St. James of the Sag church steeple, but the dense trees of the Argonne
Forest Preserve shroud the buildings. Although the present structure was built in the 1850s, St. James of
the Sag has been in existence since 1833. This beautiful portion of the canal is surrounded by forests.
The canal sides are formed by limestone, although it has deteriorated in several sections.
You now begin to travel through several communities along the canal. First up is Willow Springs, near
the fairly new Willow Springs Bridge, where the canal noticeably widens. One remarkable historical fact
of this section of the canal occurred in 1989 when barges began to strike something under the water.
Upon investigation, it was discovered that there was a veritable underwater island of submerged cars.
Although most of the vehicles had been dumped for fraudulent purposes, a six-year-old missing person
investigation was ended when one of the cars turned up with a dead body in the trunk. This resulted in
the conviction of several individuals for murder and accessory to murder, including the chief of the
Willow Springs police.
Passing Willow Springs, the journey upstream takes you through Justice, Hodgkins, Summit, Argo, and
finally Chicago. Between Argo and Summit you will encounter the B & O Chicago Terminal Railway. This
bridge is almost a boundary between the heavy forests of the western canal and the urbanized and industrial
eastern canal. You will notice a small launch ramp in Summit at mile mark 313, but it has been closed for
several years. It is here you will begin to see low-flying passenger jets arriving and departing from
the nearby Midway Airport.
Just past Harlem Avenue, a double fixed bridge, is an area surrounded by history. Several water
formations existed in this area before the development of the Cal-Sag Canal: Mud Lake, a shallow pond
in the middle of a marshy area, and the west fork of the Chicago River’s South Branch. Both were
eventually filled in when the Cal-Sag began to dominate the water traffic and the need for land increased.
In this area is a center-pier swing bridge, named for its ability to pivot around a central pier allowing
water traffic to pass on either side. This bridge is no longer functional as all machinery has been removed,
but you can still see the old gears and wheels that operated the bridge. Directly past this bridge you will
see an abundance of electrical towers and cables, followed by the Stickney Water Reclamation Plant, which
is one of the world’s largest sewage treament operations. Treating 800+ million gallons of water a day,
there is a water outflow from this plant that may give your boat a gentle push as you pass by.
Before you reach California Avenue, you should be able to see the Cook County Correctional Facility
rising to the north over some nearby plants. The nearby railroad bridges set the height restriction for
the rest of this waterway until Lake Michigan at 17 feet. If your boat is higher than that, you will have
to approach Lake Michigan on the Cal-Sag.
The Sanitary and Ship Canal widens into a large basin of water just west of the Damen Avenue bridge.
This marks the end of this waterway and begins the South Branch of the Chicago River.
To continue with the Triangle Tour, you will need to open the Chicago River and Lake Michigan portions
of this website.
Calumet River Marinas, Restaurants, Launches
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| Marina Name |
Marine Services Corporation |
| Address |
14001 Cottage Grove Avenue |
| |
Dolton, IL 60419 |
| Phone Number |
708-841-5660 |
| Web Site |
www.marineservicescorp.com |
| Email Address |
lc@marineservicescorp.com |
| Directions by car |
Highway 94 coming from Chicago, exit on Dolton Avenue west. Turn right on Cottage Grove Avenue, heading north. Marina's private road is on the right immediately after the railroad tracks. Follow road to gate at the marina. |
| Directions by boat |
Mile Marker 324 on the Little Calumet (Cal-Sag) |
| Hours of Operation |
Monday-Saturday: 8 am - 4:30 Sunday: 10 am - 3 pm (hours are 10am-3pm Dec-Mar) |
| Information |
Specifics |
| Boat Slip Rentals? |
25' stardocks (no need for dingy); 32', 40', 50' slips; 30/50 power and water |
| Transient Slips? |
6 slips |
| Temp slips to use facilities? |
Along the harbor walls and on pier ends |
| Boat Store? |
Boat parts |
| Restaurant? |
No |
| Type of food: |
No |
| Bar? |
No |
| Ice? |
Yes |
| Restrooms? |
Back side of office (includes showers) |
| Fuel? |
|
| Boat services? |
Full service; WiFi; courtesy vehicle |
| What kind? |
Mechanical, fiberglass work, engine overhaul, certified Mercury technicians/dealer, winterization, etc. |
| Outdoor Storage? |
$28.00/foot plus blocking |
| Indoor Storage? |
$5.75/square foot for non-heated indoor; $8.75/square foot for heated indoor (length and beam) |
| Boat launch? |
Crane 40-ton rail lift |
| Parking for vehicles w/trailers? |
100 spaces |
| Any clubs or associations? |
Dolton Yacht Club |
| Additional Information |
Elite Yacht Brokerage 630-887-1478 |
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Restaurant Name |
Waterfront Pub |
| Address |
14042 Croissant Drive |
| |
Burnham, IL 60633 |
| Phone Number |
708-862-5118 |
| Web Site |
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| Email Address |
|
| Directions by car |
141st and Torrance |
| Directions by boat |
Between Mile Markers 326 and 325 |
| Hours of Operation |
8 am - 4 pm |
| Information |
Specifics |
| Transient Slips? |
6 piers |
| Temp slips to use facilities? |
All slips in front of restaurant |
| Type of food: |
Limited: pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs |
| Bar? |
Yes - full bar |
| Ice? |
Yes |
| Restrooms? |
Yes |
| Boat launch? |
Yes - $10.00 |
| Parking for vehicles w/trailers? |
Yes - minimal - parking along fence and in adjoining boat yard when empty |
| Any clubs or associations? |
No |
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Marina Name |
A-1 Millennium Marina |
| Address |
14042 Croissant Drive |
| |
Burnham, IL 60633 |
| Phone Number |
708-868-4567 |
| Web Site |
|
| Email Address |
|
| Directions by car |
141st and Torrance, four blocks west of Torrance on Croissant Drive |
| Directions by boat |
Between Mile Markers 326 and 325 on the Little Calumet River, southwest of the O'Brien Lock |
| Hours of Operation |
|
| Information |
Specifics |
| Boat Slip Rentals? |
Yes |
| Transient Slips? |
|
| Temp slips to use facilities? |
|
| Boat Store? |
|
| Restaurant? |
Near Waterfront Marine |
| Type of food: |
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| Bar? |
|
| Ice? |
|
| Restrooms? |
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| Fuel? |
|
| Boat services? |
Full service |
| What kind? |
|
| Outdoor Storage? |
Yes |
| Indoor Storage? |
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| Boat launch? |
|
| Parking for vehicles w/trailers? |
|
| Any clubs or associations? |
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| Additional Information |
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Restaurant Name |
Smuggler's Cove |
| Address |
14000 Croissant Road |
| |
Burnham, IL 60633 |
| Phone Number |
708-891-6606 |
| Web Site |
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| Email Address |
|
| Directions by car |
140th and Torrance to 140th and Croissant |
| Directions by boat |
Between Mile Markers 326 and 325 |
| Hours of Operation |
Bar: 11am - 4am
Restaurant: 11am - 10pm (Sunday 9am) |
| Information |
Specifics |
| Boat Slip Rentals? |
Yes - $20/night, with power and water |
| Transient Slips? |
4 Piers |
| Temp slips to use facilities? |
In front of restaurant |
| Restaurant? |
Yes - Sal and Rocco's |
| Type of food: |
Ful menu (dine-in, carry-out, catering): appetizers, sandwiches, salads, steaks, chops,
seafood, pasta, pizza |
| Bar? |
Yes - Full bar |
| Ice? |
Yes |
| Restrooms? |
Yes |
| Any clubs or associations? |
Croissant Yacht Club 708-891-6606 |
| Additional Information |
|
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Marina Name |
Pier II Marina |
| Address |
826 E. 138th Street |
| |
Chicago, IL 60627 |
| Phone Number |
773-468-9605 |
| Web Site |
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| Email Address |
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| Directions by car |
|
| Directions by boat |
Between Mile Markers 324 and 323 in a small harbor on the south side of the Little Calument River |
| Hours of Operation |
9am - 5pm Tuesday through Saturday |
| Information |
Specifics |
| Boat Slip Rentals? |
Yes |
| Transient Slips? |
Yes |
| Temp slips to use facilities? |
|
| Boat Store? |
Yes |
| Restaurant? |
Yes |
| Type of food: |
|
| Bar? |
Yes |
| Ice? |
|
| Restrooms? |
Back side of office (includes showers) |
| Fuel? |
|
| Boat services? |
Yes |
| What kind? |
Mechanical, pump-out station |
| Outdoor Storage? |
Yes |
| Indoor Storage? |
Yes |
| Boat launch? |
Yes |
| Parking for vehicles w/trailers? |
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| Any clubs or associations? |
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| Additional Information |
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Marina Name |
Skipper's Marina |
| Address |
13421 South Vernon Avenue |
| |
Riverdale, IL 60827 |
| Phone Number |
708-841-1300 |
| Web Site |
www.skippersmarina.com |
| Email Address |
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| Directions by car |
From I-94, take the 130th Street Exit going west until you reach Indiana Avenue. On Indiana Avenue make a left, heading south on Indiana Avenue until you reach 134th Street. Make a left on 134th Street, going east on 134th Street. Pass two (2) stop signs. After the second stop sign, proceed about 30 feet and make a right on the gravel road (Vernon Avenue). |
| Directions by boat |
Between Mile Marker 323 and 322 on the Little Calumet River |
| Hours of Operation |
|
| Information |
Specifics |
| Boat Slip Rentals? |
Yes |
| Transient Slips? |
Yes |
| Temp slips to use facilities? |
|
| Boat Store? |
Yes |
| Restaurant? |
Yes |
| Type of food: |
|
| Bar? |
Yes |
| Ice? |
|
| Restrooms? |
|
| Fuel? |
Yes |
| Boat services? |
Yes |
| What kind? |
Mechanical,pump-out station |
| Outdoor Storage? |
Yes |
| Indoor Storage? |
Yes |
| Boat launch? |
Yes |
| Parking for vehicles w/trailers? |
Yes - limited |
| Any clubs or associations? |
|
| Additional Information |
|
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Marina Name |
Riverdale Marina |
| Address |
13100 S. Halsted Street |
| |
Riverdale, IL 60827 |
| Phone Number |
708-849-2200 Fax: 708-849-2532 |
| Web Site |
www.riverdalemarina.com |
| Email Address |
chuck@riverdalemarina.com |
| Directions by car |
I-57 south to 127th east Halsted; south on Halsted to first right after bridge over Cal Sag |
| Directions by boat |
Enter from Lake Michigan through Osen Locks, continuing west to approximately the 338 Mile Marker |
| Hours of Operation |
Monday-Friday, Sunday: 10am - 7pm
Friday-Saturday: 11am - 2am |
| Information |
Specifics |
| Boat Slip Rentals? |
Yes |
| Transient Slips? |
Yes |
| Temp slips to use facilities? |
Yes |
| Boat Store? |
Yes - boating supplies, parts and souvenir clothing |
| Restaurant? |
Yes |
| Type of food: |
Casual |
| Bar? |
Yes |
| Ice? |
|
| Restrooms? |
Yes |
| Fuel? |
Yes |
| Boat services? |
Yes |
| What kind? |
Mechanical, winterization. |
| Outdoor Storage? |
Yes |
| Indoor Storage? |
Yes - heated, sprinklered, secured |
| Boat launch? |
No - launch with lifts |
| Parking for vehicles w/trailers? |
Yes |
| Any clubs or associations? |
|
| Additional Information |
DJ/Karaoke on alternate Fridays 9-1; Band on Saturdays 9-1; Blues Jam on Sundays 4-9 |
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Marina Name |
Crawley's Yacht Yard |
| Address |
3434 East 9th Street |
| |
Chicago, IL 60633 |
| Phone Number |
773-221-9990 |
| Web Site |
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| Email Address |
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| Directions by car |
Immediately east of the Calumet River on south side of 95th Street |
| Directions by boat |
Between Mike Markers 333 and 332, just past Turn Basin No. 1 and East 95th Street bridge |
| Hours of Operation |
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| Information |
Specifics |
| Boat Slip Rentals? |
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| Transient Slips? |
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| Temp slips to use facilities? |
|
| Boat Store? |
|
| Restaurant? |
|
| Type of food: |
|
| Bar? |
|
| Ice? |
|
| Restrooms? |
|
| Fuel? |
|
| Boat services? |
Yes |
| What kind? |
Mechanics, winterizing, pump-out station |
| Outdoor Storage? |
Yes |
| Indoor Storage? |
Yes |
| Boat launch? |
Yes |
| Parking for vehicles w/trailers? |
|
| Any clubs or associations? |
|
| Additional Information |
Yacht delivery services, shuttle service to Chicago Harbors |
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