Great Rivers Scenic Route, Illinois, United States
5.0 (236 reviews) Thursday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent Ranking #1 in Alton Scenic Drives
Beautiful year-round, but especially during the eagle migration in January & February
The drive is lovely. Take along a passenger so the driver can keep her/his eyes on the mostly-straight road. If you are driving this road during the eagle migration, look ahead to see if other drivers have pulled over to the side of the road. That's your cue to also pull over, because those drivers have probably spotted one or more eagles. Do some research ahead of time, so you can stop for things that interest you, such as Lewis-and-Clark sites or Abraham Lincoln sites.
Address
along Mississippi River, Alton, Illinois, United States.
Mobile
Website
http://www.visitalton.com
Working hours
Monday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday : 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Current local date and time now
Thursday, May 09, 2024, 22:48
User Ratings
5.0 based on (236 reviews)
Reviews
-
5Taylor B 5:00 PM May 25, 2021
One of the "Seven Wonders of Illinois"
The Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Route stretches for 33 miles along the Mississippi River in southwestern Illinois, where the Mississippi, Illinois and Missouri Rivers meet to form a 35,000-acre floodplain and visitors can be entertained by magnificent scenery beneath limestone bluffs that are covered by forests extending over nearly 20,000 acres, historic sites, 18th century river towns, bars, restaurants and shops. Chosen as one of the "Seven Wonders of Illinois" by the Illinois Bureau of Tourism, Illinois Route 100 along the Mississippi River, which is part of the Great River Road that stretches from Minnesota to Louisiana, offers a panoramic view of the area where Meriwether Lewis and William Clark launched their famous Voyage of Discovery to the Pacific Ocean and back in 1804-1806. The north end of the Great Rivers Scenic Route is at Pere Marquette State Park, located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers. The south end of the route is at the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site, located near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. Along the route are the cities and villages of Grafton, Chautauqua, Elsah, Alton, East Alton, Wood River and Hartford. Bikers will enjoy the Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail that parallels the route between Pere Marquette State Park and Alton and the Confluence Bike Trail that parallels the route from Alton to Hartford. Other major points of interest include Piasa Park, the Clark Bridge in Alton, the National Great Rivers Museum at the Melvin Price Locks and Dam and the Lewis & Clark Museum in Hartford. The Great Rivers Scenic Route was designated as an Illinois State Scenic Byway in 1998 and listed as a National Scenic Byway in 2000.
-
5Lydia G 5:00 PM Feb 25, 2021
Eagle Watching in February
Great well maintained road along the river. Stop, shop and eat at Alton, Elsah or Grafton. We were most recently there in late February and counted 40 bald eagles! Only a few were in flight.. look at the floating pieces of broken ice and you will see many searching for fish this time of year. Fantastic day or weekend trip!
