Which Great Lake forms Chicago's shoreline?

Chicago's shoreline is formed by Lake Michigan, one of North America's five Great Lakes.

The city stands on the lake's southwestern shore in Illinois, and its waterfront stretches for roughly 24 miles. Chicago's famous lakefront parks, beaches, Navy Pier and Lake Shore Drive all border this freshwater lake.

Lake Michigan is the only Great Lake located entirely within the United States. It is shared by Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan, and is connected to Lake Huron through the Straits of Mackinac. Because the two lakes have the same water level, they are sometimes described hydrologically as one lake.

A common mix-up is assuming Chicago borders Lake Huron or Lake Erie because all four lakes are part of the same Great Lakes system. Chicago's location beside Lake Michigan also helped make it a major port and transportation center, linking the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River system through the Chicago waterways.