The Great Rivers Scenic Byway from Hartford to Grafton is a route that features the Mississippi and Missouri and Illinois rivers all meeting with fantastic limestone bluffs, along with parks and wildlife areas, historical river towns and much more.
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The north end of the route is at Pere Marquette Park, located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, and the south end of the route is at the Lewis and Clark Historic Site.
Some of the cities sprinkled along the way are Grafton, Chautauqua, Elsah, Alton, Wood River, East Alton and Hartford.
The Piasa Park and Clark Bridge are attractions along the way, along with the National Great Rivers Museum and the Melvin Price Locks and Dam.
Jong Cambron of the Alton Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, said there is an abundance of history along the route and also events for people to take part in during the summer and year-round.
“Everyone wants to see the river and the bluffline,” he said. “It is really beautiful and you don’t get to see a view along the River Road like this any where else from Minnesota to New Orleans. It was one of the prime spots and we have such historical communities from Alton which has ties to the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln, and to Hartford with explorers Lewis and Clark.”
Each July there is a Towboat Festival along with parasailing, ziplining, wineries and wonderful places to view the confluence of the river, Cambron said.
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