TheLakeInsiderThe insider's guide to America's luxury lakes
← Chain O'Lakes (Illinois)
Chain O'Lakes (Illinois) · The outdoor list

Trails, docks, farms, markets.

The boat launch with the deepest channel. The trail to the gorge. The farm stand that takes Venmo. The icon you've heard of and the one you haven't.

Parks & trails

2 listed
  • Spring Grove
    Chain O'Lakes State Park Trail System
    Editor's pick

    Four paved bike trails totaling about six miles, a 2.25-mile Nature's Way hiking trail, an accessible quarter-mile trail at Pike Marsh North, and roughly eight miles of equestrian trail.

    Summer (Apr–Oct) 6am–9pm, winter 8am–sunset(815) 587-5512
  • Volo
    Millennium Trail and Greenway

    A planned 41-mile multi-use trail through central and western Lake County, with about 33 miles currently open for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing, plus an 11-mile gravel section for horseback riding.

Farms

1 listed
  • Spring Grove
    Richardson's Adventure Farm
    Editor's pick

    A seasonal farm attraction roughly six miles west of Antioch and Fox Lake, known for one of the country's larger corn mazes, plus u-pick pumpkins, sunflower fields, and a Christmas tree farm.

Farmers markets

2 listed
  • Antioch
    Antioch Farmers Market
    Editor's pick

    A weekly outdoor farmers market in Sequoit Creek Park in downtown Antioch, running Thursdays through the summer.

    Thu 9am–1pm, June–Aug
  • Fox Lake
    Fox Lake Farmers Market

    A weekly evening farmers market in downtown Fox Lake, running Tuesdays through the summer.

    Tue 4–8pm, June–Sept

Boat launches

5 listed
  • Fox Lake
    Pistakee Marina
    Editor's pick

    A full-service marina on Pistakee Bay with 86 protected floating slips and Waverunner ports, offering pontoon rentals and seasonal slip rental.

    (224) 344-3649
  • Fox Lake
    Ben Watts Marina
    Editor's pick

    The largest full-service marina on the Chain O'Lakes, with capacity over 300 slips, offering transient slips, boat repair, and storage.

    (847) 587-0211
  • Antioch
    Anchor Pointe Marina

    A family-owned marina since 1923, open 24/7 near the IL-173/IL-59 intersection, with a boat ramp described as one of the deepest on the Chain.

    Daily 8am–5pm(847) 395-2036
  • Antioch
    Spring Lake Marina

    A family-owned marina on Spring Lake since 1984, with over 65 slips, pontoon and tritoon rentals, seasonal RV sites, and an on-site diner.

    Daily 9:30am–7:30pm(847) 395-6440
  • Fox Lake
    Fox Lake Boat Rentals

    A locally owned pontoon-rental operator serving Pistakee, Fox, Lake Marie, Petite, Spring, Nippersink, Bluff, and Catherine lakes across the Chain.

    Daily 7am–7pm(312) 545-3162

Iconic stops

2 listed
  • Antioch
    Blarney Island
    Editor's pick

    An offshore bar on Grass Lake operating in some form since 1901, reachable only by private boat or a shuttle from the mainland dock, with live music and drag boat races through the summer.

    Thu 4pm–1am, Fri–Sat 11am–2am, Sun 11am–10pm, closed Mon–Wed (seasonal)(847) 395-4122
  • Spring Grove
    Chain O'Lakes State Park
    Editor's pick

    A state park anchoring the west end of the lake chain, established in 1945, with camping and boating access along the historic Fox River route Joliet and Marquette traveled in 1673.