Chain Lakes

Chain Lakes: crowds and conditions

Typical pattern: usually quiet; mostly local visitors. Been there recently? Post today’s status and it shows here for the next traveller.

Status options for this lake: Full / gates open · Low water level · Entry closed.

Best time to visit Chain Lakes

Season: August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

Crowd: Usually quiet; mostly local visitors.

Typical week: Mon quiet · Tue quiet · Wed quiet · Thu quiet · Fri light · Sat light · Sun light.

How to reach Chain Lakes — distance from nearby cities

Coordinates: 38.01257, -89.41852. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.

Places to visit near Chain Lakes

• Pyramid State Recreation Area · sanctuary · Perry · ~7 km · Must-see
• Kinkaid Lake · lake · Jackson · ~28 km · Must-see
• Piney Creek Ravine Nature Preserve · sanctuary · Randolph · ~29 km · Must-see
• Lake Murphysboro State Park · lake · Jackson · ~32 km · Must-see
• Randolph County State Recreation Area · sanctuary · Randolph · ~36 km · Must-see
• Chautauqua Lake · lake · Jackson · ~42 km · Must-see
• Little Grand Canyon · sanctuary · Jackson · ~46 km · Must-see
• WSIU-FM (Carbondale) · lake · Jackson · ~47 km · Must-see
• Pomona Natural Bridge · sanctuary · Jackson · ~51 km · Must-see
• Cedar Lake Dam · lake · Jackson · ~51 km · Must-see
• Rend Lake · lake · Crittenden · ~52 km · Must-see
• Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument · sanctuary · Williamson · ~53 km · Must-see
• Rend Lake · lake · Franklin · ~53 km · Must-see
• Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site · fort · Randolph · ~54 km · Must-see
• Wayne Fitzgerrell State Recreation Area · sanctuary · Franklin · ~55 km · Must-see
• Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area · lake · Jefferson · ~56 km · Must-see
• Kaskaskia River State Fish and Wildlife Area · sanctuary · Randolph · ~56 km · Must-see
• Crab Orchard Lake · lake · Williamson · ~56 km · Must-see

See everything within a day’s drive of Chain Lakes

Other lakes, dams & reservoirs near Chain Lakes

• Kinkaid Lake · lake · Jackson · ~28 km · Must-see
• Lake Murphysboro State Park · lake · Jackson · ~32 km · Must-see
• Chautauqua Lake · lake · Jackson · ~42 km · Must-see
• WSIU-FM (Carbondale) · lake · Jackson · ~47 km · Must-see
• Cedar Lake Dam · lake · Jackson · ~51 km · Must-see
• Rend Lake · lake · Crittenden · ~52 km · Must-see
• Rend Lake · lake · Franklin · ~53 km · Must-see
• Rend Lake State Fish and Wildlife Area · lake · Jefferson · ~56 km · Must-see
• Crab Orchard Lake · lake · Williamson · ~56 km · Must-see
• Baldwin Lake · lake · Randolph · ~57 km · Must-see

All lakes, dams & reservoirs in Illinois

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