Lovers Leap

Lovers Leap is a limestone bluff that rises sharply at the southern end of Hannibal, offering one of the best views of the river anywhere in north Missouri. A road climbs to the top and a short trail leads to the viewing point.

The Mississippi makes its long bend right below, and on a clear day you can see Quincy bridge to the north and the start of the cliffs that line the river for miles south. Bring a sweater — the breeze off the river is sharper than the temperature suggests.

things to do sight
A story
The bluff gets its name from a Sauk legend, picked up enthusiastically by Victorian-era tourist boards: two doomed lovers from rival bands threw themselves from the top rather than be parted. Twain mentions Lovers Leap in Life on the Mississippi and notes wryly that almost every bluff on the river has the same legend attached.

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