Great River Road: the upper Mississippi

Route description

The Great River Road follows the Mississippi on both banks and is signposted with a green pilot’s wheel. From Minneapolis, head southeast on US-61 to Red Wing, a river town of brick buildings below Barn Bluff, known for its boots and pottery. Just downstream the river widens into Lake Pepin, a stretch best seen from the Wisconsin side on WI-35.

South of La Crosse, the valley is lined with forested bluffs, and several of the locks and dams have viewing platforms where you can watch barges lock through. Galena, in Illinois, is a remarkably intact 19th-century town with a main street of brick shops and the home of Ulysses S. Grant. Across the river, Dubuque has a riverfront museum and a short, steep funicular with views over three states.

Continue south through Iowa and Illinois river towns to Hannibal, Missouri, where Mark Twain grew up and the boyhood home and museum bring his stories to life. The final stretch leads to St. Louis and the Gateway Arch, where small tram pods climb to a viewing room at the top. Book arch tram tickets ahead in summer, as they often sell out.

The route is long, so choose one bank or cross often on the many bridges. Late September and October bring fall color to the bluffs, while spring can bring high water that closes riverside roads. Riverside campgrounds are common, but some lie in flood-prone areas, so check conditions before you book.