Illinois: Water Bodies

Today, we’d like to share with you some of the lakes, rivers and other water bodies you’ll be able to discover in our upcoming Illinois DLC for American Truck Simulator. From the urban lakeside atmosphere of Chicago to the tranquil wetlands and reservoirs further south, Illinois offers a surprising variety of waterways that our map designers have been recreating. Let's take a look at some of them!

Lake Michigan & Chicago's Beaches

One of the most iconic sights in the state is Lake Michigan, one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is the second-largest of the Great Lakes by volume and also the second-deepest, making it a truly impressive stretch of freshwater that looks almost endless.

As you explore the roads of Chicago, you’ll be able to take in views of the lake, and pass by Lakefront Park, which is a part of the scenic Lakefront Trail along Lake Michigan. You will also be able to spot one of the numerous free public beaches along Lake Michigan, Oak Street Beach, a popular urban sandy beach that sits right against the backdrop of Chicago’s skyscrapers, where residents and visitors alike can enjoy swimming, sunbathing, and relaxing, if it isn't too windy!

Lakes, Reservoirs & Dams

Illinois is also home to a number of lakes and reservoirs, many of which serve as popular recreation areas whilst also supporting nearby towns and infrastructure.

In the southern part of the state, you’ll encounter Rend Lake, a well-known reservoir surrounded by forests and open countryside. We’ve also recreated the Rend Lake Dam, which was constructed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1972. 

Not too far from the Dam, you’ll also catch views of other Lakes, including Little Grassy Lake and Crab Orchard Lake, which is a National Wildlife Refuge and the largest of three refuge lakes in the State. Along the I-70 you'll also pass over the Highland Silver Lake, which serves as a primary water source for the city of Highland and other surrounding communities. 

Rivers, Wetlands & Swamps

Beyond the lakes, Illinois is full of waterways that shape its landscape. Drivers heading through the southern areas of the state will be able to spot the Cache River, known for its unique wetland environment and dense vegetation, giving this region a completely different atmosphere compared to the flatter northern stretches. 

You may even spot an old wooden trestle bridge whilst travelling over the Cache River on the IL-3, remnants of the old Illinois Central Railroad, a historic U.S. railway, chartered in 1851, famous for its north-south route connecting the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico. 

You'll also be able to pass other significant water bodies such as Sandusky Creek, which is nestled along the eastern shores of Rend Lake. And for those who enjoy noticing the finer details during a haul, keep an eye out for features like Hatfield/McCoy Pond, as well as swampy and wetland areas inspired by real-life scenery near the Mark Twain Memorial Bridge which are a part of Illinois' Great River National Wildlife Refuge Complex.

We hope you have enjoyed this look at the Water Bodies you'll encounter in upcoming Illinois DLC for American Truck Simulator. We are excited to share more as development continues, so be sure to keep up to date with the latest updates by following us on X, Facebook, BlueSky, YouTube, and Instagram, and by subscribing to our newsletter! Until next time, happy haulin'.

Project Benelux Rework: Water Bodies

More news from the Benelux Rework project just got delivered to you! In today's blog, we would like to dive into the water bodies, something that is really inseparable from this region. So let's see what you can expect to see when this rework project is finished!

The Benelux countries have been shaped by rivers, canals, and the sea for centuries. Especially in the Netherlands, people learned long ago how to live with this powerful element - building dikes, canals, and polders to hold it back or turn it into fertile land. Large parts of the Netherlands actually lie below sea level, which makes the extensive system of dams and barriers vital for keeping the land safe and habitable.

Windmills, which you can still spot across the countryside, were once an essential part of draining swamps and reclaiming new ground. And as you can see, our map designers have been working to bring this unique sight into ETS2.

When trucking through this area, you will be able to see that water doesn't play an important role only in the landscape of Benelux, but it's also vital for its logistics. Natural rivers flow alongside man-made canals, both serving transport purposes and providing calm spaces for relaxation. And don't forget about the mighty North Sea, which shapes the northwestern coasts of Belgium and the Netherlands and makes them home to some of Europe's largest and busiest container ports.

On your trucking adventures, you may find yourself crossing the famous Afsluitdijk, the dam that separates the IJsselmeer lake from the sea, or rolling over bridges that span the Waal, one of the main branches of the Rhine. Further south in Belgium, the Meuse (Maas) flows past beautiful cities like Liège, where hydropower plants use water for energy.

We hope you have enjoyed this preview of the Benelux Rework project! We are excited to share more with you down the road, so be sure to keep up to date with the latest updates by following us on Twitter, Facebook, BlueSky, YouTube, and Instagram, and by subscribing to our newsletter! Until next time, happy haulin'.

Nordic Horizons: Land of Thousand Lakes

In today's blog, we're taking you to Finland - often called the Land of a Thousand Lakes, as it has around 187,000 of them! So let us showcase some of the areas we're recreating for the Nordic Horizons DLC for Euro Truck Simulator 2.

Finland is a truly beautiful country, with unique and breathtaking landscapes that our map designers are meticulously recreating for ETS2. Did you know that 10% of Finland's landscape is covered by water, while nearly two-thirds is blanketed by forests?

Now let's move on to specific locations. The first one we would like to show you today is Lake Inari (Inarijärvi in Finnish) which is nestled in the Finnish Lapland in the northernmost part of the country. It is the third largest and the second deepest lake in Finland. It features over 3,300 islands and in colder years, it can stay frozen from November to June.

The second location is the Finnish Lakeland, which is Europe's largest lake district and adored by Finns as a wonderful recreational spot that offers so many things to do all year round. This region is so densely packed with lakes that they make up roughly 25% of its total area.

Finnish Lakeland is vast, stretching across the eastern and central parts of the country and covering a significant portion of Finland. It's also home to Lake Saimaa - Finland's largest lake and the third-largest in Europe. As you truck through this scenic region, you'll pass through the cities of Jyväskylä, Kuopio, and Mikkeli, all ready for your cargo deliveries. So don't wait - be sure to add the Nordic Horizons DLC to your Steam wishlist! 

Stay tuned for more updates by following us on our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. We'd also really appreciate it if you could sign up for our newsletter to stay informed, even when you're not able to check out the blog or our socials. And be safe on the road!

Missouri - Water Bodies

Looking to take a break on the road and enjoy some peaceful time by the water? Today, we're excited to guide you through some of Missouri's most iconic and scenic water bodies, beautifully recreated by our map designers for this upcoming American Truck Simulator map expansion!

The most prominent of these is the Lake of the Ozarks, a large reservoir formed by damming the Osage River. It was created by the Bagnell Dam which was completed in 1931. The lake has an iconic dragon shape when seen from above, and is located in the center of Missouri within the Ozark Mountains. It covers an astonishing area of 54 thousand acres (220 square kilometers).

Another major reservoir included in this map expansion is the Harry S. Truman Dam and Reservoir, situated along the Osage River, just west of the Lake of the Ozarks. This vast body of water spans over 55 thousand acres (225 square kilometers), closely matching the Lake of the Ozarks in surface area.

Other than these two reservoirs, the region features a variety of rivers and streams, offering drivers scenic crossings over bridges as they journey through the Show Me State.

You'll encounter iconic rivers like the Fox, Fabius, and Saint Francis - tributaries feeding into the mighty Mississippi - as well as the Chariton, Grand, and Platte rivers, which wind their way toward the Missouri. Beyond these larger rivers, we've also included local gems like the Weldon, and Whetstone rivers, and a part of the Headwater Diversion Channel, along with some other creeks that make Missouri's terrain so richly textured.

We can't wait to explore Missouri once it is released in ATS! Want to show us that you are also looking forward to trucking in this map expansion? Then add it to your Steam Wishlist! Remember to follow us on our Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube, so you won't miss out on any American Truck Simulator news. Safe travels!