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Leaf Peepers Home Page
for the Middle Mississippi River Valley
The
fall foliage in the Middle Mississippi River Valley can be absolutely
breathtaking if Mother Nature cooperates. The many varieties of trees such as
maples, oaks, ash, sumac, and sassafras provide a diverse palette of brilliant
hues for the eye to soak in. And there’s no shortage of places and ways to
view this natural beauty. In the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway area
Pere Marquette State Park offers breathtaking vistas from its scenic overlooks
and hiking trails, the Great River Road and the Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail travel
under tree covered bluffs. Or take a tour utilizing the four area ferries to
view the scenery from the river. Back road trips offer the same beauty as well
as local orchards offering their final bounties of the season as well as other
area attractions.
Leaf
peepers to Missouri's Lincoln Hills region will find an impressive display of
fall colors along the Little Dixie Highway, a section of the Great River Road
that travels over the bluffs and through the river towns of Clarksville and
Louisiana. South and east of St. Louis visitors can get their share of color and
rural scenes by traveling the winery routes near Ste. Genevieve and Augusta.
Ste. Genevieve's tree-lined streets, shops, and eateries make for a pleasant
autumn afternoon.
When the
leaves turn, the region has its busiest season of the year. So, if you are
planning on an extended stay of leaf peeping, you should make your Bed and
Breakfast or hotel and motel accommodations early, as most rooms are booked in
advance. Unfortunately peak foliage time is also peak traffic time, but you can
beat the traffic by visiting on weekdays.
The
fall season is also the busiest season in the area for festivals and other
activities. There are harvest festivals, reenactments, scarecrow contests,
guided nature hikes, and more. Check out the following Calendar Pages for more
details:
For updates on fall colors in Illinois visit
www.enjoyillinois.com and
for Missouri visit
www.mdc.mo.gov
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