Chain O'Lakes
Fifteen connected glacial lakes linked by the Fox River and dredged channels in Lake and McHenry counties, with about 7,100 acres of water overseen by the Fox Waterway Agency. Often described as the busiest inland recreational waterway per acre in the United States, the Chain draws heavy summer boat traffic from the Chicago and Milwaukee metro areas; Fox Lake and Pistakee Lake are its largest links.
| Lake | County | Grade | Clarity | Depth | Fish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silver Lake | McHenry | A | 7 ft | - | 0 |
| Grays Lake | Lake | A | 3.5 ft | - | 0 |
| Catherine Lake | Lake | A | 7.4 ft | - | 0 |
| Cedar Lake | Lake | A | - | - | 0 |
| Deep Lake | Lake | A | - | - | 0 |
| Round Lake | Lake | B | 7.4 ft | - | 0 |
| Channel Lake | Lake | B | 8 ft | - | 0 |
| Zurich Lake | Lake | B | - | - | 0 |
| West Loon Lake | Lake | B | - | - | 0 |
| Woods Creek Lake | McHenry | C | 3.9 ft | - | 0 |
| Tower Lake | Lake | C | - | - | 0 |
| East Loon Lake | Lake | C | - | - | 0 |
| Lily Lake | McHenry | D | 3.3 ft | - | 0 |
| Fox Lake | Lake | D | 1.9 ft | - | 0 |
| Long Lake | Lake | F | 3.4 ft | - | 0 |
| Grass Lake | Lake | F | 1.4 ft | - | 0 |
| Marie Lake | Lake | F | 2.7 ft | - | 0 |
| Pistakee Lake | McHenry | F | 2.7 ft | - | 0 |
| Nippersink Lake | Lake | F | 1.3 ft | - | 0 |
| Diamond Lake | Lake | F | - | - | 0 |
| Valley Lake | Lake | F | - | - | 0 |
| Louise Lake | Lake | F | - | - | 0 |
| Slocum Lake | Lake | F | - | - | 0 |
| Island Lake | McHenry | F | - | - | 0 |
| Silver Lake | McHenry | NR | 10 ft | - | 0 |
| Loch Lomond Lake | Lake | NR | 16.5 ft | - | 0 |
| Hastings Lake | Lake | NR | 3.4 ft | - | 0 |
| Timber Lake | Lake | NR | 10.6 ft | - | 0 |
| Petite Lake | Lake | NR | 2.5 ft | - | 0 |
| Bluff Lake | Lake | NR | 4 ft | - | 0 |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.