Will County Between Canals, Prairie and Culture

The former Illinois and Michigan Canal runs through much of Will County as a park. A 62.5-mile hiking and biking trail follows the former towpaths. This brings the landscape and the canal’s history together.

The sections between Lockport and LaSalle-Peru were designated the first National Heritage Corridor in 1984. The corridor includes museums and restored canal buildings, and its historic extent reaches beyond individual towns in Will County.

Nature, Wetlands and Trails

The Will County Forest Preserve District owns or manages more than 21,000 acres of land. Monee Reservoir features a 46-acre lake surrounded by wetlands, where visitors can enjoy outdoor recreation and wildlife watching. A canoe and kayak launch is available at no charge. Canoes and kayaks are rented seasonally from May 1 through September 30.

The area can also be explored on foot: a 1.66-mile natural-surface trail is designated for hiking, running, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. At Monee Reservoir, visitors can choose from both water activities and several ways to get active on land.

Rock Run Rookery Preserve offers a different experience. The 224-acre preserve includes open water, wetland and forest habitats around two former quarry lakes. Protected nesting areas are home to herons and other waterfowl. A boat launch and trailer parking for small fishing boats are available at the large eastern lake; no launch fee or District permit is required.

Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie showcases the characteristic species and natural processes of a tallgrass prairie, including the reintroduction of bison. Exhibits at the Welcome Center provide information about the local dolomite prairie. Wetlands, former quarry lakes and prairie each give the outdoor experience in Will County its own character.

Canal History and Culture

Channahon State Park is the official starting point of the Illinois and Michigan Canal State Trail. Locks 6 and 7 are located in the park; the original, restored lockkeeper’s house stands at Lock 6. Canoeists can paddle 15 miles of the canal between Channahon and Morris. Isle a la Cache Preserve offers another way to get out on the water: a public canoe and kayak launch on the Des Plaines River that requires no launch pass.

Museums also explore history from different perspectives. Isle a la Cache Museum presents the cultural heritage and natural history of the Illinois Country in the 18th century, including the story of French voyageurs, Potawatomi traditions and the fur trade era. The main exhibit gallery at the Joliet Area Historical Museum introduces visitors to the stories of the Joliet region and its people.

In Joliet, the Rialto Square Theatre opened on May 24, 1926, as a vaudeville movie palace; it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Old Joliet Prison offers a 90-minute guided walking tour of the prison grounds. The tour covers the prison’s history from its opening in 1858 to its closure in 2002.

Route 66 in Will County includes numerous attractions, historic sites, motels, hotels and other special stops. When choosing a hotel, you can first decide whether canal history, nature or culture will shape your trip, then match the location of your accommodation to the specific places you plan to visit.

Discover more destinations: Joliet, Bolingbrook, Romeoville, Monee, Mokena, Crete, Channahon, Effingham.

For the broader travel overview: Illinois.