Channahon offers several ways to shape a stay: canal history, golf, trails and scenery. Channahon State Park is the official starting point of the Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail; Locks 6 and 7 are also located in the park. Heritage Bluffs Public Golf Club offers a sporting focus, while Lake Chaminwood Preserve, with its trail and canoe and kayak launch, offers other activities. When planning, the first thing to consider is whether you would rather focus on a trail route, golf, a paved path, or scenery and exhibits.
Canal History and Trail Planning
Locks 6 and 7 are located in Channahon State Park. The park is also the official starting point of the Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail and a starting point for day trips by bike or on foot along the trail. This brings canal history and an active day out together in one place: the locks provide the historical focus, while the trail offers a choice between cycling and hiking.
The I&M Canal State Trail section from Rockdale to Channahon is 9 miles long. These details answer different planning questions: one gives the length of a specific section, while the other identifies the starting point for day trips.
Golf with a Range of Tee Lengths
Heritage Bluffs Public Golf Club is an 18-hole championship golf course. Tee options range from 5,000 to more than 7,100 yards. The hole count identifies the course as an 18-hole facility; the tee options give you a specific range to help choose the course length. If golf is one of your main interests, you can include this choice in your day’s plans.
Trail and Water at Lake Chaminwood Preserve
Lake Chaminwood Preserve has a 1.01-mile paved trail suitable for cycling and hiking. It is considerably shorter than the nine-mile I&M Canal State Trail section from Rockdale to Channahon. This comparison shows two different trail scales: a paved path within the preserve and a longer section of the Canal Trail.
The preserve also has an accessible, adaptive launch for canoes and kayaks. Conditions on site can change; at the launch, this particularly concerns its availability and accessibility features. Check the current status before your visit. You can choose between using the trail and an activity by canoe or kayak.
Scenery and Exhibits
McKinley Woods covers 525 acres of forest, prairie, wetlands and river habitats. Unlike the individual trail details, the focus here is on several types of habitat. Four Rivers Environmental Education Center features engaging exhibits. It offers a different focus from the trails and scenery, adding exhibits to the options for visitors who would like to include them alongside outdoor activities.
Discover more destinations: Monee, Crete, Mokena, Romeoville, Bolingbrook, Joliet
Return to the main travel overview: Will County.
