Michael Smith PhotoArt Blog

 Chasing Fall On The Great River Road

My wife and I recently enjoyed a weekend getaway to relax, get closer to nature and enjoy the beauty of the changing colors of Fall. This was originally scheduled to be during the forecasted peak for fall colors, but Mother Nature had different thoughts. The colors were emerging and shy of the peak, but beautiful nonetheless. While our primary purpose was to chill with nature in a beautiful setting, I did bring my camera in hopes to capture some great photos as a bonus. I think we achieved all our goals.

Our destination was a little stretch of the Great River Road between Grafton and the Pere Marquette State Park along Route 100 in Illinois. The drive was amazing, hopping on the Great River Road in Alton, Illinois, then driving north with the Mississippi River, and and then the Illinois River to our left, and beautiful bluffs, cliffs and forests of fall colors to our right.

Our first stop was to check in at the Pere Marquette Lodge, nestled in the Pere Marquette State Park.  We chose this lodge because of its beauty, location and history.  It's a stunning and peaceful lodge built during the Great Depression with limestone, massive timbers, vaulted ceilings and a huge fireplace.  It's located near the entrance of the park with views of the Great River Road, the Illinois River, and the parks bluffs and cliffs.

After checking in we first explored the scenic overlooks along the park's scenic drive, gracing us with amazing views of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers' valleys.

We then got serious and hiked some of the park's trails (Goat Cliff, Dogwood, Ridge), with several hundred feet of elevation gain to bluffs and overlooks with stunning vistas.

Following the hike, after a little rest and recovery, we headed to the quaint town of Grafton, located along the Great River Road at the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers.  We had a wonderful dinner at the Grafton Pub, located right on the riverfront.  I also used my Photographer's Ephemeris to find the right time a location to capture the sunset over the Mississippi River.  Again, Mother Nature delivered a few more clouds than I would have liked, muting the colors and reflections I had hope for.  It was a beautiful sunset nonetheless. 

The next day we topped off our trip with a late lunch and libations at the Grafton Winery and Brewhouse while listening to live music from one of our great local bands.  As I said, we did achieve all our goals; relaxation, hiking, great vistas and lodging, beautiful fall colors, yummy food and beverages, live music, and some great photographic memories!

Thanks for visiting!  Hit the Contact Form and pass along any questions or feedback, and let me know if you'd like to receive notification emails for future blog posts.