Great River Road

Illinois

National Scenic Byway

Map

Byway Details

Designation
National Scenic Byway
Length
476 mi in Illinois

About Great River Road

The Great River Road is a 476.3-mile National Scenic Byway running the length of Illinois, from East Dubuque at the state's northwestern corner to Cairo at its southern tip. Galena, Savanna, Fulton and Rock Island sit along the northern stretch. Farther south the drive passes through Nauvoo, Hamilton, Kampsville and East St. Louis before reaching Prairie du Rocher, Chester, Grand Tower and Thebes on the final run to Cairo. At that length, the byway works best split across several days with stops in its many small towns. Near the northern end, typical averages from a nearby weather station at Dubuque show September as a comfortable time to go, with highs around 75°F and lows in the mid-50s, while January highs average only about 27°F. Those figures describe the top of the route. Conditions along its southern reaches can differ. Outdoor stops sit close to the road. Hikers can head to the Mississippi Palisades State Park Trails North, and anglers can try Thomson Causeway. Paddlers can launch on the Dubuque Water Trail, and overnight visitors can stay at Pine Hills Campground, about a mile off the route.

Scenic byway data: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration

Facts about this place

When to go

Best time to go: May–Oct. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 61–85°F and lows of 42–64°F.

Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Dubuque L&D 11, IA weather station, 3.4 mi away. High / low in °F.

  1. Jan27° high10° low
  2. Feb32° high13° low
  3. Mar45° high25° low
  4. Apr58° high38° low
  5. May71° high49° low
  6. Jun81° high60° low
  7. Jul85° high64° low
  8. Aug82° high62° low
  9. Sep75° high54° low
  10. Oct61° high42° low
  11. Nov46° high29° low
  12. Dec33° high18° low

Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020

Where it is

Towns along the route
East Dubuque · Menominee · Galena · The Galena Territory · Hanover · Savanna · Thomson · Fulton · Albany · Cordova · Princeton · Port Byron · Rapids City · Le Claire · Hampton · Campbell's Island · Silvis · Rock Island Arsenal · Rock Island · Andalusia · Montpelier · Illinois City · Eliza · New Boston · Keithsburg · Oquawka · Gladstone · Gulfport · Carman · Lomax · Dallas City · Pontoosuc · Niota · Nauvoo · Sandusky · Hamilton · Lima · Marcelline · Ursa · Fall Creek · Hull · Kinderhook · New Canton · Rockport · Pleasant Hill · Kampsville · Venice · Brooklyn · East St. Louis · Sauget · Cahokia Heights · Dupo · Waterloo · Maeystown · Fults · Prairie du Rocher · Ellis Grove · Chester · Rockwood · Gorham · Grand Tower · McClure · Thebes · Olive Branch · Unity · Cairo

Source: USGS GNIS populated places

Nearby

Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 2 miles of the route, PostGIS distance)