This is a day of very little driving, but lots of looking and listening as you head north up the Great River Road (mostly IL Hwy 3) from the historic Lewis & Clark Expedition launch site near Hartford, IL and then spend the ensuing days in Alton on the Great River Road, in Grafton, and touring Calhoun County. All this time you’ll be learning about the confluence of three of America’s greatest rivers: the Mississippi, the Missouri, and the Illinois.
Start by taking IL Hwy 3 north off of Interstate 270 at the first exit on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River. The Great River Road will lead you to an abundance of museums and a flood of information about the Lewis & Clark Expedition of 1804-1806.
This is mostly an “indoor” day with multiple museums with theaters, and although you may drive a long way to get here, the day’s driving will only be about 10 miles. In fact, most of it can easily be traversed by bicycle with a short auto jog into Wood River and a trip across the Mississippi River bridge and back, which could be done on two or four-wheeled vehicles.
Commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson after the Louisiana Purchase was made, William Clark and Meriwether Lewis were charged to lead the 45-man Corps of Discovery on a journey to discover an inland waterway from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean and Hartford, IL is where the journey really began.
1. Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center – Hartford, IL
Designated as Site # 1 on the Lewis & Clark Historic Trail, the Lewis & Clark State Historic Site is a 20-acre parcel steeped in history. It includes the Lewis & Clark State Interpretive Center and it explains in great detail the Corps of Discovery’s two-year trip, which departed with 45 men on May 14, 1804 and returned on Sept 23, 1806. Be sure to check with the Center to reserve a spot on a tour. Call 618-251-5811 or contact Clark@CampDubois.com.
A 15-minute film in the Convergence Theater, housed in the Center, helps you experience the planning and preparation that went into the trip. And you can take a close look at a replica of the 55-foot keelboats with 30-foot masts, that the group launched here. An 1800-1815 era Settler’s Cabin can also be toured, plus there is also a Discovery Gift Shop.
2. The Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower – Hartford, IL
The Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower is just a few hundred yards to the north of the Center and has tours only by appointment. The unusual 150-foot tower is three stories tall and allows you to get high enough to view the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers. A dozen or so outside kiosks and an amphitheater provide plenty of opportunity for additional trip knowledge. There is a fee for the tour.
3. RV and Trailer Parking – Hartford, IL
For campers, the 5 Diamond Campground is worth a mention for those looking for RV or trailer parking close to these attractions. The sites seem to almost always be full, but they are perfectly located at the center of this day’s travel.
4. Hiking and Biking Trail
This area is a biker’s and hiker’s dream and the paved MCT Confluence Trail from Granite City to Alton covers 20.5 miles with the Lewis & Clark sites just about in the middle. So bring your wheels or walking shoes for some additional exercise. Discover the MCT Confluence Trail.
5. Camp River DuBois replica – Wood River, IL
Camp River DuBois sat along the Mississippi River at the western most edge of the United States prior to the Louisiana Purchase and was where the Corps winter camped from December 12, 1803 to May 14, 1804 to prepare for launching the expedition. A re-creation of the early fort is located a few miles away in Wood River and hosts events on a regular basis. For more information, visit the Wood River Camp Dubois website.
6. National Great Rivers Museum – Alton, IL
Just a few miles further north, hang a left onto IL. Hwy 143, which hugs the waterline, and you will soon find the National Great Rivers Museum and the Melvin Price Locks & Dam #27. These are tours every school kid and adult should take. This is one of 29 such locks and dams at work on the Mississippi River from St. Louis north to the source of the river.
Not only can you watch barges pushed by towboats move through the locks for hours, but you also can spend considerable time in the museum learning about the formation, history, and usage of the Mississippi River, including the wide variety of boats that have frequented it. There are 15 interactive exhibits in the museum plus a full-size theater showing the film, “The Power of the River”.
Captain a towboat pushing barges. Really, no! Virtually, yes!
Try your hand at “virtually” captaining a towboat pushing barges up and down the river, but be warned, it is easy to destroy bridges much like I did: twice. But, with a little luck you might get to check out eagles nesting in a tree just a few hundred yards away. Museum personnel keep a telescope on hand to watch over them.
7. The Melvin Price Locks and Dam #27 – Alton, IL
Locks and Dam #27 is four football fields wide and ¾- mile long, took from 1978 to 1994 to build, and is named in honor of long-time US Congressman Melvin Price. Tours are available three times daily, but groups of 10 must schedule in advance. These facilities, including their theater and gift shop have free admission and are open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
8. The Clark Bridge: Connecting Illinois & Missouri
The next stop of interest is a bird sanctuary just across the Mississippi River into Missouri. To reach it, one must take the Clark Bridge, which like its predecessor, is named for explorer William Clark, whom you know much about at this point in the day. The bridge was completed in 1994, just after the Great Flood of 1993. It has four traffic lanes and two bike lanes. It measures 4,620 feet in total length and is a cable-stayed structure. One hundred sixty miles of cable running over two 250 concrete pylons make it an irresistible photo op.
9. Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary
Once you reach the Missouri side, the Riverlands Migratory Bird Sanctuary is found immediately on your left. The 1200-acre wetland is home to the Audubon Center at Riverlands, where volunteers and staff are on hand seven days a week to help you spot and learn about the 325 resident and migratory bird species that pass through this region, including the largest and rarest North American waterfowl: the Trumpeter Swan. Don’t forget your binoculars. Seven days a week, the Sanctuary is open from sunrise to sunset and the Center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
10. Fast Eddie’s Bon Air – Alton, IL
With your day’s work done, there’s only one “must” stop before you find suitable accommodations in a local hotel or a B & B, that is to grab a bite at Fast Eddie’s Bon Air. This iconic beer joint was originally opened by Anheuser-Busch in 1921. When liquor laws changed, A-B had to divest itself of taverns and it was owned by the same family for 50 years.
In 1981, things changed forever when Fast Eddie Sholar Sr bought it and ran it for 27 years. He saw it grow from 80 chairs to 400. In 2008, Eddie Jr, took the reins and added a 500-seat outdoor patio.
So, don’t worry about finding a seat and you’ll probably find yourself flanked by a banker in a suit on one side and a biker in leather on the other, but all are there for cold beer, great food and live music. BTW, for my money try the steak and green pepper kabob for the perfect ending to a great day.
Editor’s Notes
This is the first blog post about Day Trips north out of St. Louis on a portion of the Great River Road. The entire series can be found on Two Lane Rambler’s awesome travel blog, which is written by Roger Sanders and was launched in June 2021.
Be sure to contact the sites above to verify their dates and times of operation.
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