Nippersink Creek Water Trails
Nippersink Creek, a twenty-three-mile long creek with a 138 square mile watershed, is a major tributary of the Fox River and a safe stream for paddlers of all abilities.
The McHenry County Conservation District provides a water trail on the creek that can serve as a model for the region. Access and facilities are excellent from Keystone Landing below Wonder Lake to the Nippersink Canoe Base near the Fox River Chain O’Lakes and Route 12. Maps posted in several places along the trail tell paddlers where they are and where they are going. Rest stops and picnic areas are carefully thought out, and there is little sign of trampling or misuse.The Nippersink offers a quiet, enjoyable canoe experience away from noisy boat traffic, shoreline development, and potentially dangerous dams. Water quality is excellent in the Nippersink, and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency designates part of the water trail as a “highly valued aquatic resource.”
Click here for a printable PDF version of this map.
Skill level: Beginner to Intermediate
Length: Approximately 12 miles
Directions: Keystone Landing in Glacial Park, owned by the McHenry County Conservation District, is located east of the intersection of Keystone Road and Barnard Mill Road, in Wonder Lake. The canoe launch, also owned by the conservation district, is located northeast of Route 12, south of Sunset Drive, in Fox Lake. In between, there are canoe launches located west of Pioneer Road and north of Harts Road, in Solon Mills; and in Lyle Thomas Park, approximately 0.2 miles north of Route 12, on Blivin Road, in Spring Grove.
Notes: The creek meanders through conservation areas and farms, affording views of glacial landforms characteristic of McHenry County. In Glacial Park, the conservation district has completed one of the largest stream restoration projects in the country, enhancing aquatic habitats and protecting water quality, which is considered some of the best in the region. Please respect the privacy of riparian landowners—no landing on private property.
Always check United States Geological Survey (USGS) water data before your trip.
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| Nippersink Creek Water Trails |
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