This popular beach in the Chicago suburbs is now shut down

Summer is officially here and everyone wants to hit the beach, but local health officials have issued urgent warnings against swimming at a major Chicago-area beach: Rosewood Beach in Highland Park. Following heavy rains in the region, standard water testing revealed spikes in Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacteria, prompting high-contamination swim advisories across Cook and Lake Counties on Tuesday.

Regional health departments sample Lake Michigan waters four days a week to monitor safety. While E. coli is naturally found in the intestines of warm-blooded animals, high concentrations indicate a sharp rise in fecal contamination. When levels are too high, officials act quickly to restrict public access, lest swimmers come down with summer-spoiling gastrointestinal illnesses. Heavy rainfall typically flushes urban runoff and waste directly into the lake, creating invisible, toxic plumes, even on perfect beach days. Check the Lake County Health Department website for advisories and updates for all beaches.

Here are the beaches that were at one point affected closed fo high levels of bacteria:

Elder Park Beach (Winnetka)

The popular North Shore destination in Cook County is facing a complete swimming ban. While you can still walk and relax on the sand, entering the water is strictly prohibited due to severe bacterial contamination. The beach has currently reopened

Rosewood Beach (Highland Park)

The Park District of Highland Park announced that the swimming area at Rosewood Beach was completely closed. Local officials explicitly warned residents in a Facebook post that while the historic beach facilities and boardwalk remain open to the public, wading or swimming is barred until bacteria levels return to safe levels. 

Illinois Beach State Park Resort Beach (Zion)

Further north in Lake County, this regional park also suspended swimming. Because this destination draws massive crowds from the greater Chicago area, the sudden contamination spike disrupted summer vacation plans for thousands of travelers. The beach, however, how now reopened.