Welcome to the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway Area, where the Mississippi, Missouri, and Illinois Rivers meet. Here you'll find magnificent limestone bluffs, forested parks and wildlife areas, real river towns, ferries that ply the rivers, and friendly and gracious people.

The Scenic Byway begins near the towns of Hartford and Wood River. This is Lewis & Clark country with a new interpretive site in Hartford and two replicas of the Corps of Discovery's winter camp in the area. To the north is the historic town of Alton, rich in history with monuments and attractions to the Civil War. The city is a major antique center with over fifty antique shops.

The Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail, a twenty mile paved trail, parallels the Great River Road beneath towering limestone bluffs and past the picturesque towns of Elsah and Grafton. Elsah is one of only a handful of communities in the country to be placed in its entirety on the National Register of Historic Places. Grafton, the "Winter Home of the Bald Eagle," is becoming an attraction of its own with its shops, restaurants, seasonal events, and river ferries. Just north of Grafton is Pere Marquette State Park with a wealth of recreational activities including hiking trails, fishing, boating, horseback riding, and interpretative programs.

Farther north travelers can cross the Illinois River on a free ferry operated by the state of Illinois to the village of Kampsville, home to the Center of American Archeology, which researches the remains of Native American habitation as far back as 8,000 B.C.

The region contains areas of interest not directly adjacent to the Scenic Byway. West of Grafton and Pere Marquette is Calhoun County. Situated on a peninsula, Calhoun County is almost an island and has retained the unique charm of a small but active agricultural community. Its rural villages and peach and apple orchards are serviced by four river ferries that cross the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. To the northeast is Jerseyville with its 19th century courthouse and the antique shops in its historic downtown district. Every year the town hosts the annual Jersey County Victorian Festival on Labor Day weekend at the historic Hazel Dell farm. Southeast of the Byway is southern Madison County, home to Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, Horseshoe Lake State Park, several historic museums and numerous historic sites.

Whatever your interest, you’re sure to find it in the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway area. At greatriverroad.com our commitment is to provide visitors with the most complete and up to date information on the attractions, events, and things to do in the area.