Check Out Illinois Paddling Council’s Blog

IPC – Vic Hopp Memorial Canoe, Kayak & SUP Race

June 7, 2025

Come and challenge your canoe, kayak, racing skills at the Illinois Paddling Council Vic Hopp Memorial Canoe, Kayak and SUP Race at Fox River County Park Boat Landing, 29875 Silver Lake Rd, Burlington, WI 53105. (42.54089008506918, -88.17149252136538) This is a…

Read More

Pontiac Canoe and Kayak Race

June 7, 2025

Come and challenge your canoe, kayak, racing skills at the Illinois Paddling Council Pontiac Race, located Play Park, Pontiac IL on the Vermillion River (303 E Grove St, Pontiac, IL. This is a 9 mile upstream downstream race so no…

Read More

Voyageur Landing Race

June 7, 2025

Come and challenge your canoe, kayak, racing skills at the Illinois Paddling Council Voyageur Landing Race at Voyageur Landing Forest Preserve, Elgin IL (50 Airport Rd., Elgin, IL, 60123). This is a 8 mile upstream downstream race so no shuttling…

Read More

Paddling Volunteers Needed to Support Rockford Ironman, June 22

May 23, 2025

KAYAK/SUP VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Racing events from 5k’s to ultra races, running or paddling, only happen with the help of volunteers.  The first ever officially sanctioned Ironman in Illinois is happening on June 22nd in Rockford and we need paddling volunteers!…

Read More

Emily Goes to Springfield!

May 22, 2025

By Emily Miao, IPC Volunteer and Advocacy Committee Member On Wednesday, April 9th, IPC President Scott Hays and I joined the IEC (Illinois Environmental Council) Conservation Lobby Day event at the Illinois State Capitol building, Springfield, IL, where we lobbied…

Read More

IPC Seeks Paddler Confrontation Information

May 21, 2025

Have you been stopped or threatened while paddling in Illinois? If you have, we’d like to hear from you by completing our brief survey. Your story could help make the case for legislative reform or support future efforts to clarify…

Read More

Paddlers’ Access to Navigable Waters: Update

April 2, 2025

by Scott Hays, Advocacy Chair and President, IPC In a decision inconsistent with federal law, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has determined that 98% of all rivers in the state of Illinois are designated as “non-navigable” and are the…

Read More

The IPC Paddling Championship Circuit

April 2, 2025

by Anthea Halpryn, IPC Racing Task Force Chair In our last newsletter, we celebrated last years’ winners of the IPC Paddling Circuit. Now it’s time for YOU to join in the competition to become an Illinois Paddling Champion!  It’s not…

Read More

The Friends of Kickapoo Creek: Peorians Taking Watershed Preservation Into Their Own Hands

April 2, 2025

By Lucas D. Myrna, Secretary, Friends of Kickapoo Creek. The Friends of Kickapoo Creek (Officially, F.O.K.C., NFP) is a Peoria, Illinois, nonprofit founded in 2023 by the cousins Jackson Myrna, Lucas Myrna, and William Ewers. The cousins had been canoeing,…

Read More

The Pecatonica Water Trail Story

April 2, 2025

By Joe Ginger, Vice President, Friends of the Pecatonica River Foundation The Pecatonica River is a designated “Water Trail.” It has received recognition for that designation from Stephenson County, the federal government, and the State of Illinois. The designation is…

Read More