CHICAGO — As Illinois residents gear up for Fourth of July celebrations, 14 beaches across the Chicagoland area have been closed, while two others remain under swimming advisories due to high levels of bacteria, health officials confirmed Monday.
The closures affect multiple counties, including Cook, Lake, McHenry, Kankakee, and DeKalb, with reasons ranging from E. coli contamination to long-standing erosion and safety issues.
Contamination, Bacteria, and Long-Term Closures
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the closures are the result of regular water testing that identifies dangerous levels of E. coli and other contaminants. Beaches testing above the state threshold for bacteria are closed or placed under swimming advisories until follow-up tests confirm safe conditions.
Breakdown of Beach Closures by County
Cook County
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Juneway Terrace Park Beach — Closed due to other hazards (since 2019)
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Wilmette Langdon Beach — Closed due to erosion (since 2019)
DeKalb County
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Stonehouse Park — Closed for other safety concerns (since 2022)
Kankakee County
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Manteno Sportsman’s Club — Open but under contamination advisory due to high bacteria levels
Lake County
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North Point Marina Beach — Closed due to high bacteria contamination
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Waukegan North Beach — Closed due to high bacteria contamination
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Waukegan South Beach — Closed due to high bacteria contamination
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Highland Park Moraine Park Dog Beach — Open, under elevated bacteria advisory
Lake County Health Department officials said they routinely sample Lake Michigan beaches Monday through Thursday. Inland lakes are sampled biweekly unless contamination is detected, which prompts daily testing.
McHenry County Beaches Face Widespread Closures
McHenry County saw the highest number of closures due to both bacterial issues and long-standing infrastructure concerns.
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Ccapoa Beach #3 Lakewood — Closed for other reasons
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Lake Park Beach — Closed due to high bacteria contamination
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Rimas Lodge (Griswold Lake) — Closed since 2014
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Dorothy Court Beach (Island Lake) — Closed due to contamination
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Veterans Park Beach (Island Lake) — Closed for multiple issues
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Lily Lake Beach — Closed since 2019
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East Beach Park (McCullom Lake) — Closed since 2020
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Willoaks Beach — Closed since 2014
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Willow Lake Beach — Closed since 2022
Full testing details for McHenry sites can be found via the Illinois Beach Monitoring Portal.
What This Means for Your Holiday Plans
With the Fourth of July drawing near, many Illinois families may need to adjust their beach outings. While some closures are temporary and tied to bacteria levels that can change with weather, others are part of ongoing public health or infrastructure issues and have been off-limits for years.
Health Officials Urge Caution
“We regularly sample beaches throughout the week. If a lake tests high for E. coli, we resample daily until levels are safe,” stated the Lake County Health Department. Officials recommend checking your local health department’s advisory listings before heading to any beach.
Have you had to change your plans due to a beach closure this summer? Tell us how it affected your weekend in the comments at ChicagoSuburbanFamily.com.
