Weekend Explorer

Paddling the Lower Fox River

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by Gary Mechanic

LaSalle County claims it took 425 million years to build this water park. As my paddling buddy Jack and I pulled our kayaks out of the dark green waters of the lower Fox River, we agreed it was worth the wait. The classic canoe trip through the “Dells” of the lower Fox River runs about 12 miles from Sheridan to Wedron through some of Illinois’ most beautiful river-carved sandstone bluffs.

Over 400 million years ago, a shallow inland sea’s sandy bottom compressed and hardened to become the sandstone that now forms the bluffs of the Fox. Ground down by a slurry of meltwater from the last glacier, the eroded bluffs and side canyons have preserved some rare combinations of trees and plants from fire and ice, agriculture, and development.

Jack and I put in from the concrete ramp behind the Last Resort Bar in Sheridan, where five dollars buys you safe parking and permission to use the ramp to launch. For the first four-and-a-half miles from Sheridan to the Route 52 Bridge, the river is wide with relatively low banks, giving views to corn fields and woods. South of the Route 52 Bridge, the bluffs increase in size and length. In the cool coves and shallow half caves, the river-reflected sunlight illuminates extraordinarily colorful combinations of lichens, moss, and mineral stains on the buff sandstone walls and roofs.

The microclimates of the lower Fox allow white pines to flourish next to the southernmost stand of red pine. The more protected riverside glens harbor sassafras, Ohio buckeye, and blue beech. Red cedar and the state-threatened northern white cedar hang down toward the river from the brows of the bluffs.

The lower Fox River was proposed as the first candidate of a failed state Wild and Scenic River Act in the early 1960s. Now some of the most scenic bluffs and high-quality habitat are preserved by two Illinois Nature Preserves. Blake’s Landing fronts 700 feet of the river a mile up-stream of Indian Creek. In 1998 the Illinois Nature Preserves Commission accepted a donation of land from the Wedron Silica Company and dedicated the bluffs and sandstone walls along both shores of the river for a mile upstream and downstream of Indian Creek as the Wedron Palisades Nature Preserve.

Any time of year is a good time to paddle the lower Fox, but fall is when the river really glows. Maples, red oaks, and poplars light up the bluffs with a spectacular display of autumn colors. While it never got the official designation, the lower Fox is as close to a wild and scenic river as you’ll find in the wilderness around Chicago.

Roaming

Paddling the Fox Burn carbohydrates, not hydrocarbons! A variety of canoe and raft rental businesses and a number of access sites make it easy to explore the lower Fox River by canoe. Ayers Landing, (815) 434-2233, at the mouth of Indian Creek in Wedron, rents canoes for $45 and will shuttle you to the put-ins at Sheridan and the Route 52 Bridge for 12- and 6-mile trips. Camping is also available. C&M Canoe Rental in Wedron, (815) 434-6690, is on the east bank about a half-mile south of Indian Creek. Rental prices are $45 for day trips, and overnight trips can be arranged. Put in at the Last Resort Bar in Sheridan, 4163 E. 2603rd Rd. For a longer trip, put in at Silver Springs State Park just south of Plano.

Those who like the bluffs of the lower Fox will love the canyons and creeks of Starved Rock and Matthiessen State Parks. Thirteen miles of trails wind up the bluffs and down the canyons of the 2,630-acre Starved Rock State Park near Utica, (815) 667-4726. A new visitor center interprets the natural and cultural history of the park. The 1,938 acres of Matthiessen State Park, (815) 667-4868, preserve a mile-long canyon that drops over a 45-foot-high waterfall into a lower canyon before joining the Vermillion River.

Daytripping

Your cell phone becomes your tour guide on the Brush with History Cell Phone Tour of seven murals in downtown Ottawa. As you study the vivid outdoor murals, simply dial (866) MURALS-1 and follow the prompts to listen to a narration of the mural you are viewing.

Foraging

At the 150-year-old Norway Store, pick up a European picnic of deli meats, cheeses, and exotic crackers before paddling. This old-time general store has been owned by five generations of the same family since opening in 1848. The store and gas station is easy to find in the middle of the small village of Norway at 3654 N. IL Route 71, (815) 496-2669.

Events

The Archaeology Awareness Afternoon at the Illinois Waterway Visitors Center on Dee Bennett Road west of Ottawa, September 30, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., features an exploration into the past with posters, exhibits and displays. Members of the Illinois Archaeological Society will share their knowledge, experiences, and pieces of history. Admission is free. For more information, call (815) 667-4054.

At the Fall Colors Weekend at Starved Rock, October 18 and 19, at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., go on guided hikes to view the spectacular colors of fall. Meet at the Starved Rock State Park Visitors’ Center.

Bedding Down

Sleep along the banks of the Fox at Mallard Bend Campground, (815) 496-2496. Just upstream of Sheridan on the north bank (2838 N. 4351 Rd.), this 40-acre campground gives you a choice of accommodations, from primitive campsites to air conditioned cabins.
While the massive Log Lodge at Starved Rock (built by the Civilian Conservation Corps) defines backwoods class, the hotel rooms are pretty standard. For affordable luxury in a high-quality natural area, it’s hard to beat the small “Pioneer” cabins that are scattered in the woods near the lodge. For reservations, call (800) 868-ROCK.

The mansion of Plano founding father Lewis Steward, the historic “Homestead” at 611 E. Main Street in Plano, (630) 552-4322, has been renovated as a bed & breakfast. The two-acre estate features an outdoor sculpture garden and and a labyrinth surrounded by a hedge maze.

Related Articles:

Into the Wild: Paddling the Des Plaines River, CW Summer 2000

Into the Wild: Paddling our Waterways, CW Spring 2005

Weekend Explorer: Nippersink Creek, CW Spring 2005

Into the Wild: Busse Lake, CW Summer 2007