Busse Woods Reservoir

Located just south of the I-90, I-290 interchange, just east of I-290 at the Higgins Road exit, Busse Woods is easily accessible to Chicagoland and Southern Wisconsin paddlers. Per the Cook County Forest Preserves page for Busse Woods: “The 3,558-acre Ned Brown Preserve—popularly known as Busse Woods—is one of the largest and most diverse locations in the (Cook County, IL) Forest Preserves. The site includes ancient upland forests, one of the largest fishing and boating waters in Cook County, nearly 13 miles of paved trail, an elk pasture and much more—making it one of the best-used natural areas in Illinois.”

Specific to boating, Busse Woods features a large lake of approximately 550 acres, comprised of a series of pools (small lakes) measuring between 17 and 325 acres with interconnecting estuaries and several islands. Some of the pools are as shallow as a foot. Maximum depth is 19 feet with an average of 5.5 feet. The banks vary between dense woods, marshy reeds, and occasional concrete abutments for viewing and fishing from shore. Wildlife is prevalent. Powerboats are not allowed on the lake. Only canoes, kayaks and paddle boards. Fishing kayaks with electric trolling motors are allowed. No fee or permits required. Rentals are available at the Boating Center.

I launched from the north ramp and paddled through the estuary toward the North Pool, leaving traffic at the ramp quickly behind, I was soon alone. At the end of this estuary, I turned right/east past the small island and proceeded across the lake to the estuary and viaduct leading under Higgins Road. I continued north on this channel as far as I could go. This is a very quiet section of the lake with thick reeds along both sides of the channel. I encountered no other paddlers, but did see several herons and egrets. I trailed a flock of Canadian geese up the channel until they broke off, then two families of ducks. I found a large snapping turtle shell, approximately two feet long floating in the reeds. The large pool at the very end of this channel was full of ducks and geese but too shallow (only 1 foot before my paddle hit bottom) to make it worth entering. I retraced my route and exited back through the Higgins Road viaduct, then veered left/east to explore the eastern-most pool.

Entering and exiting this area, the banks are heavily wooded with many fallen trees/limbs extending into the water. This area was a popular spot for fishermen though no one was catching anything when I asked. I spotted many turtles sunning on fallen logs, and a couple duck families so hidden in the brush I almost missed them. Exiting this area I headed left/south along the east edge (a mix of wooded and reed shoreline) toward the Main Pool. There were more boaters in the Main Pool, though the size of the lake assures that it was never remotely crowded. Most of the boaters were toward the center of the leaving travel along the banks unobstructed.

At the point where the lake turns east and eventually becomes Salt Creek, I headed due west across the lake passing on the north side of the two islands to the dam that separates the Main Pool from the South Pool. A cross breeze that blew in from the south produced a bit of chop in this area making this leg more work than elsewhere. Not much reward for the effort, just fishermen on the wooded shoreline. The dam appears to prevent access into the South Pool, except via the south boat ramp. As I turned around and headed back east completing a circle of the two islands in the Main Pool, the wind came up, the sky started to darken, and it began to rain. I decided to head back to the boat launch and call it a day.