Chicago Portage National Historic Site
Chicago Portage National Historic Site is located where French explorers Father Marquette and Louis Joliet, advised by local Native American tribes, made an important portage between the Illinois and Des Plaines Rivers and Lake Michigan.
Plan Around Chicago Portage National Historic Site
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Chicago Portage National Historic Site Details
Chicago Portage National Historic Site is located where French explorers Father Marquette and Louis Joliet, advised by local Native American tribes, made an important portage between the Illinois and Des Plaines Rivers and Lake Michigan during their voyage of exploration in 1673. Joliet proposed that a canal could someday be built between the two waterways -- a vision that was fulfilled in 1848 with the opening of the Illinois & Michigan Canal. The park sits within the Portage Woods and Ottawa Trail Woods forests in the Chicago suburb of Lyon, Ill.; tours are led by the Friends of the Chicago Portage. The Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor includes 97 miles of canal, with a state-run visitor center and a trail that largely follows the old canal tow path.
Difficulty
Open
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Nearby Parks Around Chicago Portage National Historic Site
Compare nearby parks around Chicago Portage National Historic Site when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.
Nearby Points of Interest Around Chicago Portage National Historic Site
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Chicago Portage National Historic Site while the map context is still fresh.
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