Five Outdoor Adventures to Experience in Great Rivers Country This Fall

in Activities
August 16, 2023

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Autumn has officially arrived in Illinois! From hiking under brightly colored forest canopy to getting lost in a winding corn maze, the new season offers plenty of new ways to experience the great outdoors. Check out these five ways to experience the great outdoors in Illinois’ Great Rivers Country this fall!

Drive the Great River Road – Fulton

There are few views more spectacular than the Great River Road’s bluffs in autumn. This scenic drive follows the mighty Mississippi River as it curves along the western edge of Illinois and meanders for more than 550 miles through charming small towns and woodland along the way. It’s the perfect fall road trip!

Bike the Grand Illinois Trail – Atkinson

Outdoor adventurers will love biking under stunning forest canopy along the Grand Illinois Trail this fall. The trail boasts 535 miles of tree lined pathways stretching from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi River, then looping back along the Illinois River and Hennepin Canal. It’s the perfect opportunity to experience the great outdoors during its most magnificent season.

Cruise downriver with the Spirit of Peoria – Peoria

Take in the crisp autumn air while cruising on the Spirit of Peoria, an old-fashioned replica of a 19th-century riverboat, which docks at the Peoria RiverFront. Visitors will be entertained by live ragtime piano and banjo music while gazing at the colorful leaves lining the Illinois River.

Hike Pere Marquette State Park – Grafton

At 8,000 acres, Pere Marquette State Park is the largest state park in Illinois, making it one of the most magnificent displays of fall colors in the state. Grafton visitors will love guided fall tours that overlook the convergence of the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers.

Richardson Adventure Farm & Corn Maze – Spring Grove

Home of the World's Largest Corn Maze! There's lots to do for all ages -- slides, pedal carts, jumping pillows, a carousel, wagon rides, pig races, and a 50' tall observation tower.

Establish your family "basecamp" in our shaded picnic area, and from there, everyone can find the things they love to do. The little ones will love our play area, with slides, the corn bin cabin, pedal trikes, and the goat walk. How often can you say that when you went pumpkin picking, you also rode across a 700' Zip Line and got lost in the worlds largest corn maze? Picnic area, campfires, great food and fun for the whole family.

For more Illinois trip ideas to celebrate the beauty of fall, visit Fall in Illinois.