I&M Canal Trail Near Channahon Must Close Until July: Here's Why

CHANNAHON, IL — The Will County Forest Preserve District on Friday announced that sections of the I&M Canal State Trail and the Lake Chaminwood Preserve loop trail in Channahon are scheduled to be closed from March 25 to June 30 for a trail connection project.

A 3-mile portion of the I&M Canal State Trail will be closed from the Interstate 55 frontage road to West Knapp Street. The back section of the Lake Chaminwood Preserve loop trail closest to the canal trail also will be closed for the project.

Barricades and signs will be posted on both trails. Anyone who disobeys the closure signs and barricades could be ticketed.

Spokeswoman Cindy Cain said the closures are necessary as a 0.25-mile paved path extension is built that will link the Forest Preserve District's Lake Chaminwood loop trial to the 61.5-mile, state-owned I&M Canal trail via a 90-foot bridge over the canal.

Connecting Lake Chaminwood to the I&M Canal State Trail now will allow for the regional DuPage and I&M Canal trails to be connected in the future.

Also, as part of the Lake Chaminwood project, two new accessible fishing piers will be built, one on the east lake and one on the west lake.

Weather and other factors could affect the project timeline. Updates will be posted on the Current Headlines section of the Forest Preserve’s website, ReconnectWithNature.org, as necessary.