Paddling near Naperville, IL

Downtown Naperville wraps its Riverwalk around the West Branch of the DuPage River, which threads through forest most residents never see before merging with the East Branch just south of town near Bolingbrook. Possibly the narrowest river in Chicagoland, it runs 1–4 mph and is too small for power boats — solo-canoe and kayak water. For flatwater, paddlers turn to Whalon Lake on the DuPage/Will county line, or head 10–15 miles west to the Fox River corridor through Aurora.