| Channahon State Park is the official trailhead for the Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail. Channahon is an Indian word meaning "the meeting of the waters" & signifies the joining of the DuPage, Des Plaines & Kankakee Rivers.
The Channahon Access first became a state park in 1932, known as the Channahon State Parkway. The canal officially closed in 1933 with the opening of the Illinois Waterway. The canal & its environs had been extremely neglected & were in desperate need of clean up & repairs. The Civilian Conservation Corps who were employed by the Department of the Interior were assigned clean-up & repair duty all along the canal. The C.C.C. restored Locks six & seven in Channahon along with the locktender's house at Lock #6. In the park, they built a large shelter of handhewn beams & flagstone flooring that still stands as a testimony of the young men who constructed it.
An Interpreter is on site four days a week to provide information & answer questions. Public programs & tours are available as well as organized group & school group programs. For more information about Interpretive programs contact the Interpretive office at (815)467-4271.
locktenders houseToday, the Channahon State Park which is under the management of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources provides park visitors a look back at a historic waterway that transformed a State. Locks six & seven & the original locktenders house at Lock six located at the Channahon State Park enable visitors to daydream of a time when one of the loudest noises heard came from a blacksmith pounding out a new set of horse shoes.
Picnicking
Mature oak, walnut, ash & cottonwood trees provide a cool shaded setting for a special gathering of friends & family. Grills & picnic tables are scattered throughout the park & along the waters edge. Ample room is available for volleyball, soccer, frisbee or a friendly game of baseball. A horshoe pit & playground equipment are located near the picnic area providing recreational opportunities for the younger children or just the young at heart. A large shelter with tables & grills is available on a first come first serve basis. |
Campground: Channahon State Park in Channahon Illinois *