Beaches

 To ensure a safe water experience for everyone, please follow these measures when visiting a beach:

• Respect the Flag, stay out of the water if the flag is red.
• Don’t swim in non-swimming areas.  Look for stencils that indicate “no swimming” and “no diving.”
• Pay attention to the waves.  Avoid longshore and structural currents.
• Keep your children safe.  Use a buddy system and stay near your kids when they’re in the water.
• If you see someone in trouble, call for help (lifeguards or 911).
• Know where you are on the lakefront.
• Get a last-seen point so you can direct first-responders.

Life Rings  

Pursuant to the Lake Michigan Rescue Equipment Act (430 ILCS 175/), life rings, cabinets, and signage, have been installed in designated areas along the lakefront.  

Life Ring Locations 

The Chicago Park District has over 100 life rings in the following locations along the lakefront. Beaches that have designated swim areas are indicated. Swimming is allowed at beaches from Memorial Day to Labor Day from 11 am – 7 pm daily when lifeguards are on duty. 
 

Location	Life Ring #	Has Beach
Calumet Beach	001-
Calumet Beach	002-004	X
Steelworkers Park	005-007
Park 556	008-009
Rainbow Dunes	010-011
Rainbow Beach	012-	X
Arthur Ashe Beach	013-015
South Shore Cultural Center/Beach	016-	X
Jackson Harbor Inner and Outer/67th Street	017-024
59th to 63rd Street Beach	025-	X
59th to 62nd	026-027
57th Beach to 59th	028-	X
53rd to Promontory Point	029-032
49th to 50th St	033-034
43rd to Morgan Shoal	035-037
Oakwood Beach (41st beach	038-	X
Burnham 37th to Oakwood	039-042
Margaret Burroughs Beach (31st Street)	043-	X
McCormick	044-047
Northerly Island	048-050
12th Street Beach	051-	X
Museum Campus	052-054
Grant Park Promenade	055-059
Oak South Ledge and Ohio	061-062	X
Oak and Part of South Ledge	063-064	X
Oak North Ledge	065-066	X
North Ave	066-067
North Ave	068-072	X
Diversey to Fullerton	073-075
Diversey	076-078
Montrose to Belmont	079-082
Wilson/Montrose Beach	085-087	X
Montrose	083-084
Foster Beach	089-090	X
Foster Beach	088-
Lane/Osterman Beach	092-093	X
Osterman Beach	091-
Berger / Park 559	094-095
Prinz/Doria/Hartigan	096-098	X
Hartigan	099-
Leone to Loyola	100-104	X
Juneway to Jarvis	105-109

How to Use a Life Ring 

 

1. If possible, send someone else to call 911 emergency services 
2. Pick-up life ring and grab the rope 
3. Throw life ring beyond victim 
4. Draw into victim's grasp 
5. Pull victim steadily to safety 

 

Lakefront Drowning Report 

Per the  Lake Michigan Rescue Equipment Act, each unit of local government owning a pier or drop-off on Lake Michigan shall track and, at a minimum of twice per year, publish on the unit’s website a report on lakefront drownings of which the unit is aware that have occurred within 100 feet of the unit's piers and drop-offs. 

View the 2023 Drowning Report

Tampering or Misuse of Life Rings 

Tampering with, destruction, or misuse of rescue equipment is prohibited.  City of Chicago Ordinance 10-40-501 (Violators are subject to a fine of not less than $300 and not more than $800); Chicago Park District Code Chapter 7, Section B.5. V (Violators are subject to a fine of not more than $500). 

Report missing or damaged equipment to the Chicago Park District by calling (312) 747-2193. 

• Swim only when lifeguards are on duty.
• Swim only in designated swim areas.
• Do not swim if the flag is red.
• Follow lifeguards’ instructions.
• Only Coast Guard approved personal flotation devices (PFDs) are permitted. Children wearing PFDs should have an adult with them in the water.
• No smoking.
• No alcohol.
• No dogs on the beach.
• Do not feed birds or wildlife.
• Dispose of trash and recycling in appropriate containers.
• Grill in designated areas only and dispose of coals in red barrels. Learn more here.
• Keep accessible beach walks clear. No bicycling, skateboarding or rollerblading is permitted in these areas.
• Kiteboarding is permitted at Montrose Beach only.
• Surfing is allowed in‐season (from Memorial Day to Labor Day) at Montrose and 57th
  Street beaches only. However, surfers will not be allowed in active swim areas at any
  time. While Lifeguards may be on duty, participating is at your own risk. If lifeguards
  are on duty you must check in with them. Learn more about surfing below.
   

Surfing Information and Safety Awareness
“Surfing” includes any self‐propelled wave riding board sport, including Longboard and Shortboard Surfing, Body/”Boogie”boarding, Stand Up Paddling and skimboarding.

Surfing is allowed in‐season (from Memorial Day to Labor Day) at Montrose and 57th Street beaches only. However, surfers will not be allowed in active swim areas at any time. While Lifeguards may be on‐duty, participating is at your own risk. If lifeguards are on duty you must check in with them. The Captain of the Guards or other designated representative of the Chicago Park District has the final authority to allow, limit or deny surfers access to the water. Surfing will be allowed out‐of‐season (from Labor Day until Memorial Day) at Osterman, Montrose, 57th Street and Rainbow beaches.  No Lifeguards are on duty during the off‐season and participating is at your own risk.  Learn more here.

Swim status is communicated through a flag system at each beach and here on this website.  

   A green flag means that there are no swimming restrictions, swimming is permitted.

    A yellow flag means that a swim advisory is in place:  swimming is allowed but caution is advised.  

   A red flag means that a swim ban is in place, swimming is not allowed.  Conditions do not meet safe swimming standards.

Swim bans and advisories may be implemented based on weather conditions such as lightning or high winds, surf conditions such as high waves, or water quality conditions.  Please be aware of the current swim status when you go to the beach, and follow all instructions from lifeguards.  Swim status may change throughout the day as water and weather condItions change.
 

How often does CPD sample the water?
The Chicago Park District samples the beaches seven days a week starting the Friday of Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day. Chicago Park District Lab Sample Collectors sample between sunrise and 8:30 am.

What method does CPD use?
The Chicago Park District and the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health have partnered to expand the water quality testing program to utilize a new Rapid Testing method developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The Rapid Testing method measures levels of bacterial DNA in beach water. The traditional Culture Based method provides results after 18-24 hours, but the Rapid Test provides results within 3-4 hours. The Chicago Park District uses results of the Rapid Test to notify the public when the risk is elevated for developing water-borne illness.

What does CPD sample for?
The Chicago Park District tests the water for Enterococci bacteria. Enterococci is not harmful itself and is naturally occurring in the environment. However, this bacteria is an indicator of the presence of other pathogens that could make you sick. US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) beach policy recommends notifying the public when Enterococci bacteria levels are above the federal water quality Beach Action Value (BAV), which is 1000 CCE. This standard is used at beaches throughout the Great Lakes region.

Why does CPD issue water quality advisories?
If a water sample exceeds 1000 CCE of Enterococci bacteria, the Chicago Park District will issue a swim advisory which will be indicated with a yellow flag.

How does CPD inform the public?
Beach water quality information is posted on www.chicagoparkdistrict.com/beaches by 1:30 pm each day throughout the swimming season.  Current and historical records can be downloaded by searching “Beach Lab Data’ on https://data.cityofchicago.org.

All visitors to our beaches want to enjoy an experience free from garbage, waste and other environmental nuisances. Keeping our beaches clean also helps to prevent water quality swim advisories.

Here are the things you can do to help keep Chicago's beaches clean:

• Place all garbage and recycling in their appropriate containers.
  Garbage — especially leftover food — attracts birds and other wildlife to the beaches, resulting in water contamination.
• Don't feed birds or wildlife.
• Put small children in waterproof diapers and change diapers frequently.  Dispose of diapers in trash containers.
• Grill only in designated areas, and place your charcoal waste in the marked red metal containers.
• Keep dogs in designated areas. Pick up after your pets and place pet waste in trash cans.
• Please do not swim if you’re not feeling well.
• Be sure to also check out our volunteer page for ways you can join the beaches volunteer team and our beach rules for what’s not allowed at the beach.