The flat, rich bottomlands between the limestone bluffs and the Mississippi River are worth a slow drive on their own. The Great River Road (Illinois Route 3) traces the edge of the bluffs and offers occasional views down over the floodplain to the river. In spring the bottomlands flood and come alive with waterfowl; in summer they are a wall of corn and soybeans. In autumn the contrast between the golden fields and the red bluffs is striking.
The area is also good for birdwatching, particularly during spring and autumn migrations when the Mississippi flyway concentrates large numbers of waterfowl, raptors, and shorebirds. Several informal pull-offs along Route 3 give good vantage points over the bottomlands.