The Fox Locks system season will open May 17, according to the Fox River Navigational System Authority.
The locks system allows boaters to navigate 39 miles of the Fox River that has a drop in elevation of 168 feet.
Over recent seasons, non-motorized boat traffic on the system has grown. As a result, the FRNSA is upgrading all portages on the system. The kayak portages have been funded by grants from several community organizations including the David L. and Rita E. Nelson Family Fund within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, Fox Cities Greenways, and the Fox Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau. Completed portages include upstream and downstream portages at Little Chute and Appleton Locks 1 & 2 and the upstream side of Appleton Lock 3.
“When we saw an increase in kayakers, we realized it was time to address the temporary portages at many of the locks to make them safer and easier to use,” said Phil Ramlet exectuvie director of the Fox River Navigational System Authority. “Even though these locks only operate on weekends, non-motorized boaters can portage around the locks at any time and paddle the river at their leisure.”
The organization is still seeking additional donations to complete the portage construction which is estimated at $500,000 and the portages will be phased in over a period of three to five years. Donations may be made online at this link: https://foxlocks.org/support-the-locks/
Additional updates for the 2025 season:
- Annual passes are on sale now and ONLY available online. Boaters can enjoy five months of cruising the locks for only $150. A season pass gets you through any lock during any hour of operation from May- October; a $15 day pass gives you the same access for a single day of cruising.
- Locks in Little Kaukauna and De Pere are the busiest locks and are open seven days a week 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 17-Sept. 1. In September and October, these locks are only open weekends until 6 p.m.
- Locks in Appleton, Little Chute, Cedars, Combined Locks, and all five Kaukauna locks are open weekends 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 17-September 1.
- All locks will be operational on Memorial Day, July 4 and Labor Day.
- Appleton Lock 1 will remain open for two additional hours (6 to 8 p.m.) on Saturdays for access to downtown businesses.
- Public docks are available at Appleton Lock 2, Appleton Lock 4, at the Appleton Yacht Club, at the Little Chute Guard Lock, and at the De Pere Lock.
The Menasha lock will remain closed in the 2025 boating season. FRNSA’s goal is to reopen this lock, but not without a solution that prevents the invasive round goby from entering the waters of Lake Winnebago. All plans to erect barriers at the lock were voted down by the board due to cost.
“In the last 10 years, the round goby has become abundant in the Fox River and Little Lake Butte des Morts,” Ramlet said. “There is no guarantee that building a barrier at the Menasha lock would keep the invasive species out of Lake Winnebago. It is possible that we could invest in this system only to have the goby invade Lake Winnebago and render the barrier system obsolete.”
