The Chicago River and the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal play a crucial role within the Great Loop route, as they serve as the link between Lake Michigan and the Illinois Waterway. Loopers, moving southward from the Great Lakes, will have to go through downtown Chicago before heading further to the Illinois River and further inland waterways. This route has a high technical interest as it includes such aspects of boating as urban navigation, bridges with movable spans, commercial navigation, the large navigation lock, and the man-made waterway connecting the Great Lakes and Mississippi basins. According to AGLCA, the air draft of a vessel plays a vital role for navigation through the Chicago River downtown area. Those vessels which are not able to pass under the downtown bridges have to follow the alternative Calumet-Sag route. The Chicago Great Loop Route Navigation Details Boats coming to Chicago from Lake Michigan should start their downtown route from the Chicago Harbor Lock. This...

The Inland Rivers and the Tennessee River form an important part of the Great Loop. This southern-bound route starts from the rivers to the north, such as those in Chicago and the Great Lakes region, down to the Gulf Coast. The America's Great Loop Cruisers Association (AGLCA) has categorized the Inland Rivers as one of the important Great Loop sections. The main Inland Rivers Great Loop route comprises the Illinois River, Mississippi River, Ohio River, Tennessee River, Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Mobile Bay, and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The Inland Rivers section is not a coastal cruising area. Several factors affect planning the passage in this route: commercial traffic, locks and dams, variable water levels, current, bridges, and navigational alerts. What Are the Great Loop Inland Rivers? The Inland Rivers segment is not a single river but a combination. Most commonly, a Great Loop voyage going south will begin by traveling down the Illinois River to the Mississippi Rive...

The Gulf Coast region plays a vital role in the Great Loop in connection with the inland rivers around Mobile and Florida and provides some of the most diverse cruising grounds for the Great Loop trip. Many Loopers take the Gulf Coast region route from the inland rivers to Mobile, Alabama, then proceed through portions of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) to Florida. However, the exact course can change since the Great Loop is not a single set course. For Great Loopers, the Gulf Coast region includes the Mobile Bay region, parts of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW), Florida's Panhandle, and Florida's Gulf Coast. The AGLCA confirms that the Gulf region is part of the Great Loop course and that there are different route alternatives. Since this is a coastal navigation region, current charts, weather forecast, water level, navigation advisories, and other conditions must be checked before setting out. Where Does the Gulf Coast Section Begin? For those Loopers who are makin...

Florida is an important part of the Great Loop, and the Okeechobee Waterway provides an inland connection between the Gulf of Mexico and Florida's Atlantic coast. Instead of continuing around the Florida Keys, Loopers can cross southern Florida, traveling from the Fort Myers area through the Caloosahatchee River, Lake Okeechobee, and the St. Lucie Canal toward Stuart. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) describes the Okeechobee Waterway as a 155-mile-long channel extending from Fort Myers to Stuart, with a maintained depth ranging from approximately 8 to 10 feet. The waterway combines natural waterways and engineered navigation channels and supports both recreational and commercial navigation. What Is the Okeechobee Waterway? The Okeechobee Waterway, commonly called the "Big O," connects the Gulf of Mexico with Florida's Atlantic coast. For Great Loop cruisers, it provides an inland alternative to continuing south along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway toward the F...

One of the most significant waterways for boaters making America's Great Loop voyage is the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). Rather than being one continuous canal, it is a network of various water bodies such as rivers, bays, sounds, canals, etc. The mileage of the Intracoastal Waterway, according to NOAA, begins from Mile 0.0 in Norfolk, Virginia, and ends at Mile 1243.8 in Key West, Florida. The maintenance of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway from Norfolk to Miami lies under the Norfolk District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. What Is the Intracoastal Waterway? ICW is not a single canal; rather, it consists of various canals. ICW miles have been used by the NOAA to mark location points in the ICW with Mile 0.0 in Norfolk and Mile 1243.8 at Key West. The design depth along sections of the federal project is different, but the dimensions of the federal project are not always real-time controlling depths. According to NOAA, the federal project is providing 12 feet from Norfolk t...

The Atlantic Coast is among the most diverse navigation segments on the Great Loop. Unlike other navigational routes that are open waters only, the Atlantic Coast has the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), sounds, bays, rivers, canals, and tidal waterways. The normal route for northbound traffic is the ICW route through Florida up to Norfolk, Virginia, and onward through the Chesapeake and Delaware Bay area, New Jersey, New York, and onto the Hudson River. Atlantic Coast Route Description The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway has a protected passage behind the Atlantic Coast. According to NOAA's 2026 U.S. Coast Pilot, the ICW is a toll-free waterway running over 1,243 statute miles from Norfolk, Virginia, to Key West, Florida. ICW mileage starts at Mile 0 from Norfolk to about Mile 1,243.8 at Key West. There are different segments and options in the ICW that boaters cannot take for granted. i-Boating's GPS Nautical Charts Great Loop  allows for interactive planning of the route...