Parks & Recreation

The award-winning Channahon Park District offers an array of opportunities for recreation, socialization, and self-development. The District’s Skateland Recreation facility offers roller skating and is used for other functions and programs as well. The Arrowhead Community Center, located at 24856 W Eames Street in the Central Park complex, houses the District offices. 

The Channahon Park District was named the winner of the 1997 National Gold Medal Grand Award for park and recreation agencies serving a population of fewer than 20,000 residents.

Park District programs are open to non-residents, with adjusted fees and other restrictions. The District publishes three service guides each year. For more information, visit the Channahon Parks website or call the Park District at 815-467-7275.

Offerings

The Center offers racquetball courts, a fitness center, and a pre-school program. Numerous programs and special events for all ages are held at Arrowhead and other Park District locations. The District also organizes various sports leagues and often sponsors trips to Chicago sporting events and other attractions outside of the Channahon area.

Tomahawk Aquatic Center

The Tomahawk Aquatic Center is located immediately west of the Arrowhead Community Center on approximately four acres in Central Park. 

It features:

• A concession area
• Grass sunning areas
• A sand volleyball court
• A six-lane, 25-yard pool connected to a zero-depth edge pool
• A spray/play area for small children
• A waterslide

Located along Canal Street on the west side of the Village, Channahon State Park is a monument to the Illinois & Michigan (I&M) Canal Locks and Dam and the head of the I&M Canal State Trail. The park was a project of the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. In addition to picturesque scenery, the park features bike and hiking trails, fishing, and picnic areas. For more information, call 815-467-4271.

Located just south of Channahon, the Des Plaines Fish and Wildlife Area is a popular place for:

• Camping
• Fishing
• Hunting
• Picnicking
• Trap shooting

The area features a nature preserve, game farm, and waterfowl refuge. To take a look at the area, visit the Illinois Department of Natural Resource website.

Operated by the Channahon Park District, Heritage Bluffs Public Golf Club has been one of Chicagoland’s highest rated golf courses since it opened in 1993. Designed by Dick Nugent, the course offers a challenge for the serious player and fun for the more casual player across its 166 rolling acres that offer scenic beauty, unlike most Chicago-area courses. Everyone can find a length to suit their game from four tee boxes that stretch the course from 5,000 to over 7,100 yards. View the Heritage Bluffs website for more information.

Channahon is fortunate to be located along the beautiful and winding Illinois and Michigan (I&M) Canal, which is the centerpiece of the National Heritage Corridor. In the 1960s and 1970s, interest in the Canal was resurrected and the population once again saw the importance of the I&M Canal in history and as a recreational link for the present and future. 

The 100-mile urban cultural park was created in 1984 to preserve this Illinois landmark and to provide the public with a variety of historical, recreational, and natural resources to enjoy. This was the nation’s first national heritage corridor. In 1998, the 150th anniversary of the opening of the I&M Canal was celebrated.

The Will County Forest Preserve District’s McKinley Woods is located on McKinley Woods Road just south of the Highlands subdivision. The preserve is a scenic place for picnicking, hiking, or biking along the Illinois and Michigan (I&M) Canal. Tent camping is allowed with a permit, as well as fishing.

Located within McKinley Woods – Kerry Sheridan Grove in Channahon, the District’s Four Rivers Environmental Education Center rests within a picturesque setting. Nestled among oak trees and positioned where the Des Plaines, DuPage, and Kankakee Rivers meet to form the Illinois River, Four Rivers offers a stunning view of the outdoors and peaceful surroundings for conferences, banquets, and meetings. A small kitchen is available for caterers to use. For more information, contact the Will County Forest Preserve at 815-727-8700.