Ohio River Scenic Byway
Illinois
Map
Byway Details
- Designation
- National Scenic Byway
- Length
- 180 mi in Illinois
About Ohio River Scenic Byway
The Ohio River Scenic Byway is a 179.8-mile National Scenic Byway in southern Illinois. The route links a string of river towns, starting at Cairo and continuing through Mound City, Olmsted, Joppa, Metropolis and Brookport. From there it runs on to Golconda, Elizabethtown and Cave-In-Rock before reaching Shawneetown, Old Shawneetown and New Haven. Equality, Junction and New Grand Chain are also on the way, so there are plenty of places to break up the drive. Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons for the trip. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Cairo show highs around 70°F in April and October, while July highs average about 89°F. Trailheads and campgrounds sit close to the road along the way. The River to River Segment 1 trail from Elizabethtown to Garden of the Gods and the Rim Rock Recreational Trail are both within a quarter mile. Camping is close by at Pine Ridge-Pounds Hollow, and Pharoah Campground at Garden of the Gods is under a mile from the route.
Scenic byway data: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration
Facts about this place
When to go
Best time to go: Apr–May. The mildest months here, with typical highs of 70–78°F and lows of 47–58°F.
Typical monthly averages (not a forecast) from the Cairo 3n, IL weather station, 4.3 mi away. High / low in °F.
- Jan43° high26° low
- Feb48° high29° low
- Mar59° high38° low
- Apr70° high47° low
- May78° high58° low
- Jun86° high66° low
- Jul89° high70° low
- Aug88° high68° low
- Sep82° high60° low
- Oct71° high48° low
- Nov58° high37° low
- Dec47° high30° low
Where it is
- Towns along the route
- Cairo · Mound City · Olmsted · New Grand Chain · Joppa · Metropolis · Brookport · Golconda · Elizabethtown · Cave-In-Rock · Equality · Junction · Shawneetown · New Haven · Old Shawneetown
Source: USGS GNIS populated places
Nearby
- Adt - Illinois (South) - J - Seg 1Hiking0.1 mi
- High Knob RanchHiking0.1 mi
- CadizHiking0.1 mi
- Buzzard HollowHiking0.1 mi
- River to River Segment 1 - E'town to Garden of the GodsHiking0.1 mi
- Pine Ridge-Pounds HollowCamping0.2 mi
- Knights of the Golden CircleHiking0.2 mi
- Rim Rock Recreational TrailHiking0.2 mi
- Tower RockCamping0.5 mi
- Pharoah Campground -Garden Of The GodsCamping0.7 mi
- A: Main AreaRock climbing0.7 mi
- B: Bull AreaRock climbing0.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 2 miles of the route, PostGIS distance)
