I live in a NW suburb of Chicago, and have been swimming solely in the pool. I know that I need to get outside in preparation for the Accenture tri in August (my first Olympic distance.) Any suggestions for lakes that allow swimming other than Lake Michigan? I’d love to avoid the 1 hr. commute.
Sorry if this has been posted before, I tried to search and couldn’t find anything, and it’s taken me a couple of days to work up the courage to post…more scary than the swim!
How far from Rockford or Lake Geneva are you?
I’m pretty sure Lake Zurich will be open since they cancelled the race!
45 minutes from Lake Geneva - but much better ride - no traffic. Is the lake open in Fontana? Do they have a lane blocked off or something?
Not that I know of, I can ask around or maybe Geiger will see this thread. I am sure you could hit the public beach in the AM before all the fatties on speedboats show up for beers.
There is at Rock Cut State Park in Rockford though - no motor boats and $1.00 to swim with lifeguards on duty.
Well, there’s a 1-mile and 2-mile swim race in Crystal Lake this Saturday. I’ll be there.
Lake in the Hills has a nice small lake that you can swim in.
I believe you can swim in Lake Geneva, but go early in the AM, and I’d have a kayak escort.
Centennial Beach in Naperville is “almost” open water. Lots of triathletes swim there.
Thanks for responding, I appreciate it. Crystal lake is really close to me. Is the lake open just for the race this weekend, or can you swim there anytime? Lots of boats on that lake if I remember, do they typically reserve a section for swimming?
I don’t know the full story on any of the lakes, but I bet the Park District websites will tell you what’s what.
Better yet, show up on Saturday and talk to some people there. They will know the real deal.
Crystal Lake info at http://www.crystallakeparks.org/
Swimming in Lake Geneva is asking for death! Way to many boats to do a swim, even at 5am(fisherman). You could swim in the roped off area, but that at best is only 100yds long. If you are ever in the Lauderdale Lakes area(10 min N of Lake Geneva) let me know. I guess I am spoiled in this respect but I live across the street from middle lake. Jump off my neighbors pier and you are good to go for as many miles as you want. There are virtually no boats at 5am, just the fish and turtles to contend with, and the lake is always very calm. Good luck in your search.
Diamond Lake in Mundelein has some sort of open water swimming area. I’ve never been there but my friends from work go there every week. I would go but it’s the wrong direction since I live in the city. I just swam at Ohio Street Beach tonight and there was lots of chop, it made sea sick but it makes me a better swimmer.
I know downtown may not be the most convenient, however the best open water swimming is probably the Ohio St Beach - next to Navy Pier. The swim area is used almost exclusively by Triathletes, is never more than 5 ft deep, relatively clear water, mileage markers and a lane line running a few hundred yards, and 2-3 lifeguards stationed on the sea wall. I highly recommend!
Thanks. I’m thinking that I just need to suck it up and drive downtown! Can you swim as soon as it gets light?
Yes, I know a few people that swim at 6am on Wed mornings - and have seen some swim until 8:30 or 9pm
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I am also doing 2-mile CL and given the 95 degrees predicted it will probably be wetsuit free.
Both Lake In The Hills and Lake Zurich definitely do not allow non-resident swimming without considerable fees. I am pretty sure CL is the same.
Pleasant Prairie, WI(just south of Kenosha) is pretty close and they allow you to swim for $3, which is quite a deal. It is the site of Danskin and number of other tris up to and including Olympic.
Lake In The Hills has an off-and-on ecoli problem. I did the 2-miler there and the race should have actually been cancelled because the ecoli levels were at unsafe levels. The health department closed the beach and the parks department ran the race anyway.
You can swim as early as you like but there won’t be lifeguards before 8 or 9. It’s great running on the lakefront path after the swim too.
Crystal Lake beach used to have a swimmers lane. It was pretty easy to sneak into LITH lake in the early evenings. Crystal Lake water is much nicer (in the day, they used to make ice blocks at Crystal Lake and haul back to Chicago for refrigeration). If you are adventurous, you can sneak into the gravel pit lakes…