Illinois 100: Alton, Illinois, to Pere Marquette State Park

Illinois 100: Alton, Illinois,
to Pere Marquette State Park

Be prepared for breathtaking scenery for the next 25 miles of the Meeting of the Great Rivers National Scenic Byway as you leave Alton, Illinois, westbound on Illinois 100.

The route, also known as the Great River Road, runs below spectacular wooded bluffs for much of the way as it winds along the Mississippi River. Be advised, though, during the fall foliage season this route can be slowed by bumper-to-bumper traffic at times.

See What the Explorers Saw

Don�t be frightened by the monster you encounter on the bluff as you leave the city. Piasa Park (pronounced Pie-a-saw) was built near the image of the large winged bird painted on a bluff. Explorers Marquette and Joliet discovered an image of the monster in 1673 as they traveled down the Mississippi. This is a replica of the original as described by the explorers.

The village of Elsah, known as �The Town Time Forgot,� is a picturesque little community that sits in a small valley between the bluffs about 12 miles from Alton. The entire village was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Stop and take a stroll through the village and enjoy the cobblestone homes and beautiful gardens.

Back on Illinois 100, west of Elsah you can see a Mississippi River lighthouse. But don�t blink, you�ll miss it. It�s not your ordinary lighthouse that stands tall against the battering wind and rain along a forbidding, rocky coast. No, it stands only a few feet high and sits right along the roadside. But it�s there and it is a unique sight along the route.

Stop for Awhile in Grafton

About 15 miles west of Alton, you�ll encounter the town of Grafton at the confluence of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Here, you can do a little shopping, enjoy a bottle of wine at one of the two wineries, or just find a quiet spot where you can listen to the rivers.

Three recommendations for Grafton:

Dinner: The Fin Inn Restaurant on the western edge of Grafton. The menu offers a wide selection of fish dishes and several 2,000-gallon aquariums tend to steer dinner conversation in, shall we say, some unusual directions.

Drinks: The Piasa Winery on Illinois 100 offers several of their own brands or you can choose a bottle from one of the many other regional wineries represented here. Take your bottle outside and watch the Grafton ferry as it moves across the river from the winery�s deck.

Dozing off: If you�re ready to call it a day, then you won�t be disappointed by the restored 1884 Ruebel Hotel in downtown Grafton. The hotel restaurant boasts a burled-walnut bar that appeared at the 1904 world fair in St. Louis. Additional information on the Ruebel can be found in our �Unique Lodging� section.

Chess, Anyone?

The byway ends at Pere Marquette State Park, Illinois� largest at 8,000 square acres. The park features a stone and timber lodge built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. Not to be missed is the mammoth stone fireplace that is reported to weigh 700 tons. You can play a game of chess in the lobby on the giant chessboard with pieces the size of a small child.

Across from the lodge is the park�s visitor�s center, which includes several informative exhibits on local history, ecology and wildlife. Several trails crisscross the park, taking hikers through heavily wooded areas to scenic overlooks of the surrounding countryside. Admission to the park is free.