Saw Wee Kee is a really nice location to hike that's not very far from civilization. More hills…read moreand terrain than you'll see anywhere locally with decently marked trails (once you are on them) and all kinds of nature. Check the website for a trail map, but most of them intersect (even though it is not always clearly marked). Sitting by the river and looking at the blind on the island we saw a bald eagle fly right overhead. So cool! I didn't believe my friend when he said they were here around the fox. There are 2 lots at each end of the park, the Northeastern one featuring a boat launch that is kayak & raft capable (though I'm not sure where you'd get off. Maybe Silver Springs state park? The way the high trail is set up it definitely looks like it could be a mosquito breeding ground next to it during the appropriate months. Bring DEET if you think it'll be an issue, but in early October it was mostly a non-issue. There is a tick warning as well, but we didn't find any. The only thing you need to watch out for is mountain bikers (and I guess the occasional horse / horse apple). They will be coming, and some of them can move pretty fast. You'll hear them on a hike, but be courteous and step to the side of the trail and everyone can enjoy this location.

Too many mosquitoes and not enough view of the water. Rather boring trail, at least on foot…read more Disappointing.

The water level and rapids was perfect today for my first time experiencing whitewater rafting…read more We arrived a little after 9am, we made reservations ahead of time and there was a couple of big groups checking in ahead of us. The process was quick, check in, sign waiver forms, get your paddle, life vest and helmet and you're ready to go. Before we got in the water we got some instructions how to go down the main rapids: Wildcat Falls, Lone Star Dam and the Narrows. The Wildcat falls, go towards the right of the river, aim center of the two giant boulders and go down left. Most people went way right down it and got stuck at the bottom boulder and some fell in the water. We manage to go down successfully after watching a few rafters. The Lone Star Dam, stay close to the right side to go down it. The rest of the dam has a under tow that can be really dangerous and can pin you down specially if you go down sideways. The Narrows, make sure to hit it straight on and just ride the rapids. That was my favorite section. Yes, this can be dangerous. Just follow the instructions, ask a lot of questions and know your ability. Their is no guide on the raft with you. Tips before going. -Make sure to watch the safety video first, link provided on their website. -Make sure to check the water level and speed at the US coastguard link provided on their website as well. -Lastly know your ability or skills/experience paddling/kayaking/rafting. -I also watched a few YouTube videos to have an idea of the areas mentioned above. -They only accept cash or check. Today, 6/8/19, the water level was 8 feet deep and flowrate of 1500. Classified as Class 3. There was a huge group of boys scouts out the same time we did it and everyone got through it safely and had fun.

I went white water rafting yesterday and it is seriously beautiful! So much wildlife, nature and…read morethe path is very nice you can even see a waterfall at the end, it is dangerous if you don't know what you're doing or go alone but go in a group and research before you do this activity you will be fine. It is kind of sad that there is garbage every now and then left on land, people ruining the nature but still beautiful for the most part. As other reviews state, avoid the dam area , paddle to the right.

Jeff is the nicest, chillest guy. He had our equipment ready and gave us great tips on how to…read moresuccessfully get through the course. We had an absolute blast and will be back!

Yak Shack is a great local paddling outfitter... very knowledgeable and they are willing to teach…read moreyou all you're willing to learn! Good selection of gear selection rentals as well as some used kayaks to help beginners get into kayaking on a budget. They have boats to fit everybody from kids to big guys!

We had a great group kayak trip with Reed's! All employees were friendly and hard-working, making…read moreour trip extremely enjoyable. The life vests and kayaks were clean and ready for use, and the transportation to/from the river was comfortable and prompt. Thank you for a terrific outing!

I've been going to Reeds for canoeing over the span of 30 years. I can honestly say that this…read morerental was the easiest and most organized. The woman at the desk was so friendly and helpful. Reeds website spells out everything very clearly, and you're able to fill out the release at home, so it saves everyone time at the counter. Gone are the days of hot, old school buses. One was a newer model, and another, a van, was air conditioned. The drivers wore masks, which I appreciated. When we got to the drop-off site, the canoes were ready and waiting for us. When we got to the pickup site, the men helped us get our canoes up, and loaded them up. There were a few more of us than there was room on the bus, but the shuttle showed up a minute later, and took 4 of us back, without making us wait for more people to fill it up. More about the trip: we did the easy trip (#2) on a beautiful day without paddling much. We didn't really find many places to pull over to stop on the short trip, but I think there are more on the longer trips. Be prepared to hear some highway noise at some parts, and on Saturdays, plenty of lawnmowers since the shores are lined with homes. It didn't affect the experience too much. The canoeing was exactly as described: not too high and not too low. There were a couple motorized watercraft, but they slowed down when they saw canoers. One small suggestion I'd make: offer the seating pads ($1) at reservation time, or even better, just build it into the price. I don't think anyone is going to quibble about a dollar or two added to a $63 rental, and it would eliminate that extra transaction. Thanks again, Reeds. We'll be back!

What a great couple that runs this place. We couldn't canoe because the river is well above safe…read morelevels. But they were awesome local guides for us! And they have great prices on really good firewood. Not the junky stuff you get at the hardware store. We will definitely be back to canoe when the river levels drop.

Company shut down early on day of reservation, leaving our party with one too-few canoesread more

What an amazing place! How did I not ever know about this? It is free for entrance otherwise it's a…read morefive dollar visitor fee. If you wish to go to the main beach, that's an additional $12 if you are not a resident of Crystal Lake. The grounds are immaculate, very well maintained, and the bathrooms are clean. There are two lakes, multiple pavilions that you can rent ahead of time. Lots of picnic tables for you to sit down. Near the bar and grill while you can't go in the water, you can take your drink and sit on one of the cheers on the beach. You can watch people practice on their WaveRunner. Swing on the swings at the bar and listen to great music. I did not have any food here. I did have an amazing Mojito. The bartender was a young man looking to join the Barrington police force. Polite, kind and also had great customer service skills. The reason why I didn't give it five stars is that there are absolutely no markings anywhere as to what trail you are on, how long of a trail it is, and where there may be porta potties. There aren't any maps or QR codes and it was a bit confusing as I came upon several wise and the trail to decide which way to go as I had limited time there. Given the fact that everything is so nicely taken care of I don't know how they can't have at least some markings on the trails that they have there. One of the workers sent me direction and it literally just took me to a pavilion. They have kayaks, canoes, paddle boats and SUP boards. They also offer lessons for SUP depending on the day. Lots of people fishing. Amazing Place! Please add signage for the trails! The pop and water machine near the beach entrance did not work. Hopefully those are checked daily to repair.

First time here, and came with our 3 year old. Boy oh boy did we have fun!…read more Beach was beautiful. Very clean, everyone there was respectful and our son had fun playing with some other kids. Water... cold. Expected. Lol. But nothing you wouldn't get used too. Typical "pool / beach" food is available. Not the cheapest... so be ready, lol. But all is okay. Haha. There is feet washing stations and a really nice playground! We had an absolute blast and will absolutely be back!!!

Lots of fun with beautiful scenery. We will be going back next year again for sure! Everyone was…read morevery nice and it was easy to set up the reservation.

We were here on a girls trip and decided to float down the river. We had a wonderful experience. It…read morewas about a 2 1/2 hour float. The flow of the water was perfect with a few tiny rapids. I recommend having someone in your group in a kayak. That way they can paddle you out of obstacles. They can also have room for your cooler. We saw bald eagle and and an owl. We all highly recommend this experience!

I had a blast here!!! They were really nice and accommodating of our 30 people party. Bring a…read morecooler! You will need food and drinks. They offer a tube for the cooler. I am afraid of brown water, lol, so I got the tube with the bottom and just layed in it, the whole time. I also bought my own life vest off amazon. But they do offer the ugly orange ones lol Anyway we did the 3 miles but would love to come back and do the 6 mile one. Very cheap. Also the people who did go in the water, they said the very shallow areas are very rocky & scraped their knees. The deepest part is 10 feet but other than that, it's not deep. The bathrooms are nice and they offer a shower too. At the end you wait for the bus to pick you up and bring you back. Pretty cool.

I don't understand why the reviews are so low. It's tubing in a creek!…read moreThe check in is easy; pay your money, sign on the line. You don't have to ride anywhere, you get in The Fox RIGHT THERE. They have nice tubs with mesh or no mess bottom, your choice and tubs for your cooler, if you need one. For a minimum of 3 hours you float The Fox River. If you go during the week, the river is yours. If you go on the weekend you have to "share". The reasoning is obvious. If you chose to stop along the way you can drag out the 3 hours however long you like. You call when you reach the bridge so they can come pick you up. The buses are a little rough. I get this. They can't have wet, muddy and sometimes drunk people on a "nicer" bus. However, I do think they could do some work on the dressing rooms. When you get back to the "home base" you need to get out of your wet clothes and river shoes but their changing area is a wreck; no lights, smashed in toilet and broken sink. Other than this item, I adore this place. The quiet of the river, the fish, birds and dragonflies are worth it. I'll be back!

We had an awesome time today! The whole crew was so helpful and informative. Definitely recommendread more

From the owner: We are a Raft Rental business located in Oglesby, Il. We rent single tubes, double tubes and…read morecooler tubes for floating down the Vermilion River. You park at our location and we take you to the entry point in a bus and then pick you up at the exit point and bring you back to your vehicle at our location. This section of the river is a "lazy river" with one section of rapids to go through. We are family friendly and encourage you to bring your kids. Life jackets are required for children but not for adults.