Located on Rozier Street
(2 blocks west of State)
The Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway is a 33-mile stretch of Illinois highways that begins in Hartford, travels through the river towns of Alton, Elsah, and Grafton. Here you'll find magnificent limestone bluffs, forested parks and wildlife areas, real river towns, ferries that ply the rivers, brilliant fall colors, wintering bald eagles, and friendly and gracious people. The Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail, a twenty mile paved trail, parallels the Great River Road beneath towering limestone bluffs. The trail begins beneath the Piasa Bird in Alton and travels 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. These are just some of the treasures awaiting visitors to this region
The Alton Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau has put together a self-guided audio tour of the Meeting of the Great Rivers Scenic Byway for visitors to the region. The audio tour contains the history of the many byway communities, as well as providing information on the historic sites and other points of interest along the way. The audio tour is available in either CD or MP3 format. A companion brochure guide is also available. The CD guide and brochure is available at the Alton Visitors Center, 200 Piasa Street in downtown Alton or by mail by calling 1-800-258-6645. The companion brochure is also available at the Alton Visitors Center as well as an area Visitor's Guide and other useful information needed to plan a trip to the region. The Alton Visitors Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 am to 5 pm and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 am to 3 pm. The MP3 format and a map can be downloaded at www.GreatRiversByway.com. iPods and adaptors are available for loan at the Alton Visitors Center. A credit card number as a refundable deposit is required for an iPod loan.
