最新杏吧原创

The Missouri Department of Conservation says peak fall foliage is usually around mid-October for our area. Ready? Before you get in the car be sure you have a full tank of gas and cash for lunch.

The journey begins in Missouri north of 最新杏吧原创 at the junction of Interstate 270 and U.S. Highway 67 driving toward Alton.

Confluence of Mississippi and Missouri rivers

1000 Riverlands Way, West Alton

Why not enjoy the colors of fall standing where the Mississippi and Missouri rivers merge at the 1,112-acre Edward 鈥淭ed鈥� and Pat Jones-Confluence Point State Park? There are plenty of colorful woodlands leading to the point where America鈥檚 Western expansion began in 1804 when the Lewis and Clark Expedition set off on its journey up the Missouri River. At the confluence, take off your shoes and socks and have foot in each river if chilly water is not a problem.

Moreover, since Mother Nature is the theme of the trip, take a moment to enjoy the park鈥檚 wetlands and wildlife and look for migrating birds. The park is part of the Mississippi Flyway used by a significant portion of the continent鈥檚 bird species for the fall (and spring) journey along this 鈥渁vian superhighway.鈥�

Continue on U.S. Highway 67 across the imposing cable-stayed Clark Bridge and turn left where the bridge ends on the Alton side of the river to get on Route 100 and the Great River Road toward Grafton.

Piasa Bird Mural at Piasa Park

Route 100, 1 mile past Alton on the Great River Road

Located on the edge of Alton on the right side of the Great River Road, make a quick stop at Piasa Park set at the base of the giant Piasa Bird mural painted on the side of a high limestone bluff. A large granite arrowhead tells the story of the Piasa Bird, which, according to legend, Chief Ouatoga and his 20 warriors killed with poison darts.

Continue north on Route 100, about 10 miles to Elsah. With the Mississippi River no more than 20 feet away on your left and the tree-covered limestone river bluffs crowding the road on your right, the panorama is a beautiful sight in any weather.

Elsah

1 Elsah Road

This historic 鈥減icture perfect鈥� village is on the National Registry of Historic Places. With a population of around 100 people, the tiny two-street community is often referred to as the 鈥渧illage where time stood still.鈥�

The origin of the many white limestone homes in the village is attributed to Col. James Semple who had purchased all the land in the valley in what was to become the village of Elsah in the mid-1800s. He offered free parcels of property if the owner built a house using stone from his nearby quarry.

Halfway through the village at the junction of Mill Street and Beltrees Road, take Beltrees Road up the hill to Principia College.

Principia College Campus

One Front Gate Road

The guard at the entrance gate will give you a map of the 2,500-acre campus for a self-guided driving tour of this school founded in 1912. Many buildings were designed by architect Bernard Maybeck to resemble an English village, and the campus has been recognized as a National Historic Landmark District.

Along the route you will pass a small building known as the Mistake House, erected as a point of reference for methods and materials used during construction of many of the English-themed college buildings in the 1930s.

At another point the tour passes an overlook with magnificent views across the Mississippi River into the farm fields and forests on the Missouri side of the river, an impressive panorama in any season. If you make the trip at the peak of the fall colors, Missouri will look like a colorful handstitched quilt.

Retrace your route back down Beltrees to the Great River Road and head north toward Grafton.

The Grumpy Grizzly

15 E. Main St., Grafton

When cut into pieces, trees can still be beautiful even without leaves. That is readily apparent at the Grumpy Grizzly in Grafton where proprietor Justin Bollini imports and sells slabs of wood from South America, Africa and North America.

If do-it-yourself woodworking is not your thing, the store also features works from over 40 local artists. The wide variety of art on display include products from woodcrafters, painters, jewelers, sculptors, potters and photographers.

Back on the Great River Road and about five miles farther north, join the line of cars for the free Brussels Ferry across the Illinois River.

(Note: the Grafton Ferry just past the Grumpy Grizzly is not the route on this itinerary.)

Brussels Ferry

After admiring the fall colors from the views along the Mississippi from the Great River Road and the bluffs at Principia College, it is time to trade the sound of rustling fall leaves for the sound of water splashing the hull of a transportation antiquity.

Each passage on the ferry is also an adventure for the captain who uses a combination of river current, engine power and rudder to guide the front of the barge onto the ramp at the ferry dock.

Driving off the ferry, you will be on the rural peninsula of Calhoun County Illinois between the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. Follow Illinois River Road to the entrance to Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge.

Two Rivers National Wildlife Refuge

364 Wildlife Conservation Road

If you did not stop at the Pat Jones-Confluence Point State Park, this refuge offers more opportunities to get out of the car and enjoy the wildlife and fall color.

The refuge was established in 1958 to protect and enhance habitat for migratory birds and encompasses 9,225 acres of river and floodplain habitat.

Continue on Illinois River Road, stopping at two local farm stands.

Hagen Family Orchard: Hagen鈥檚 offers peaches, apples and pumpkins from mid-July through October. This orchard has been family owned and operated for over 80 years.

Continue about five miles farther from Hagen鈥檚 along Illinois River Road.

Odelehr鈥檚 Roadside Market: Each fall Odelehr鈥檚 sells more than 100 varieties of pumpkins, gourds and squash as well as apple cider, mums, Indian corn and a large selection of jarred jams, jellies and canned foods.

Continue on Illinois River Road to East Main Street in Brussels.

Wittmond Restaurant

166 E. Main St., Brussels

(Cash only; 11 a.m.-7-p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, reservations suggested.)

Once a hotel and now a restaurant, this 1847 landmark is on the National Register of Historic places and serves all-you-can-eat family-style meals for $23 per person.

As the menu has not changed since the mid-1900s, there is no printed menu. The meal starts off with corn relish, beets, apple sauce, apple cider vinegar coleslaw, peach marmalade, rolls, and what is billed as the world鈥檚 best sausage.

The main course includes fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, corn, green beans and optional roast beef. If you somehow save room after all that, Wittmond offers a variety of cobblers and cheesecake for $6 per serving.

Eating at the Wittmond is just part of the adventure. With origins from the mid-1800s, the walls are decorated with photos of five generations of the Wittmond family.

The building also houses a timeless bar and an ancient-looking general store, complete with dusty merchandise that appears to date back to when the enterprise opened 178 years ago. Most of the merchandise is not for sale, and owner Charles Burch says it is 鈥渟o old it might disintegrate if you look too long.鈥�

If Burch is not busy, he will take you on a tour of the now-shuttered hotel rooms upstairs, which are perfectly preserved and furnished with the original beds and dressers from the late 1800s.

For the return trip to 最新杏吧原创, head back south (the way you came) about two miles from the Wittmond Restaurant and turn right at the Golden Eagle Ferry sign.

Follow Golden Eagle Road to Mississippi Road to Golden Eagle Ferry Road for about eight miles. The trail twists and turns through the picturesque rolling hills of Calhoun County, Illinois.

Golden Eagle Ferry

Drive onto the Golden Eagle Ferry for the ride across the Mississippi River ($9 per car) and the 10-minute passage to Missouri.

Once off the ferry and back in Missouri, follow Golden Eagle Road to Hayford Road to Huster Road to Missouri Route 370 in St. Charles. Then take Missouri Route 370 north to I-270. (Hayford makes several turns and a map on a phone or car app will help navigate the way.)

Editor's note: This item has been edited to correct a reference to Calhoun County, Illinois.