The Great River Road runs along the Mississippi bluffs from Alton south toward where the Missouri and Illinois rivers converge with the Mississippi in a stretch called the Meeting of the Great Rivers. The views from the bluff-top road are among the finest on the upper Mississippi — the river is wide here, braided with islands and sandbars, and in autumn the tree cover on the Missouri side turns gold and red.
The drive is about 20 kilometres from Alton to the confluence area at Grafton, where the Illinois River enters the Mississippi. The Piasa Bird mural is visible on the bluff face along the way. Grafton itself is a small river town with restaurants and a ferry that crosses to St. Charles, Missouri. Bald eagles are frequently spotted along this stretch of river in winter.