With the Mississippi river on one side and beautiful bluffs, caves, wetlands and farm fields on the other, this road trip is a wonderful journey through one small river town after another. There are plenty of wildlife viewing opportunities along the way; you'll see lots of different birds including bald eagles at the right time of year. At several places along the path there are ferries available to take you west across the river on the way back to St. Louis.

There aren't many towns on this ride. You'll start out in Alton and pass through Grafton. I like Grafton for its old historic buildings. The Roads get really nice when you pass out of Grafton. Nice sweeping curves and small hills yet the whole way is in good condition. NOTE - there are LOTS of side roads that connect to the River Road, there you will find a lot of curves! You'll just have to explore the side roads if you like curvy roads - You'll be glad you did!

Many restaurants, cafes and gift and antique shops are available along this route. You should plan to visit Pere Marquette State Park as where you'll find some nice roads too. When in the park, be careful of the traffic as too many visitors are focusing on the scenery and not the road.