The Fabulous Fox! Water Trail: Paddling the Fox River From Wisconsin to Illinois

The Fox River rises in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, and flows about 200 miles to join the Illinois River at Ottawa, Illinois. Part of it, the Fabulous Fox! Water Trail, is a national water trail in the National Trails System.

On the water

• 158 miles of paddling through prairies, forests, farms and bluffs.
• Room for paddling, swimming, ice skating, camping, fishing, hunting and wildlife watching.
• Three state parks along the way, and links to many land trails.

Connecting communities

Crossing two states, the trail joins small Midwest towns with the Milwaukee and Chicago metropolitan regions. More than 70 public access points lead to lively communities with their own culture and history. Unlike many trails, it brings residents and visitors together — linking diverse populations and helping local economies along the river.

The people behind it

Partners along the whole trail maintain it and connect nearby communities. Many work with landowners to open up more access. Others focus on teaching visitors — from paddling safely and fishing from a kayak, to the region's history, including the influence of Indigenous tribes and its notable architecture, to the river's environmental challenges and how to be a good steward.

Sources

Based on "Fabulous Fox! Water Trail," National Park Service; a work of the United States government in the public domain. Its photographs, credited to individual photographers, are not reproduced.