An Illinois Tourist Town on the Mighty Mississippi: Grafton, IL 5K. 

Scenic Drives Playlist: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-mEa_o1QfZYc.html Tourist Towns Playlist: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-X5t9afbEGIc.html Illinois Playlist: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Dm81ynWvUsM.html Metro East Playlist: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-ZhWbJHFUmj8.html USA Small Towns Playlist: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Dm81ynWvUsM.html Alton: 0:26 - 3:00 Scenic Drive: 3:00 - 13:35 Grafton: 13:35 ==================================================================== EVERYTHING THAT I USE IN THE FIELD: Main Camera: amzn.to/3iS4vvF Side Cameras: amzn.to/2WuCYIs Media Mod for Camera: amzn.to/3j7CMGF Lav Mic: amzn.to/3lsMkz9 Drone: amzn.to/3ITcKBV SD Cards: amzn.to/3C2co9O Camera Mounts: amzn.to/2UXVR6p Cables Required for Longer Recordings: amzn.to/3BYnr3Q Computer: amzn.to/3787b2j External Hard Drive: amzn.to/3lb23Tf WHAT I USE AT HOME: Computer: amzn.to/3rKIdiN Sound Mixer: amzn.to/3C15Ubx Microphone: amzn.to/2VaCjvo Microphone Accessories: amzn.to/3v7A35Z INTERACTIVE MAP that shows you all of the places that I've made videos on: (Doesn't always work on mobile devices. Will always work on PC.) www.google.com/maps/d/u/2/edit?hl=en&mid=1Lhzf04ocimPu-ROkg4cfXEYEvKMNnlI5&ll=43.06219876674538%2C-83.82163216337808&z=10 SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTACT INFO: Email: ChrisHardenYT@Gmail.com On Twitter: twitter.com/Chris_Harden55 On Instagram: instagram.com/c_harden7/?... On Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisHardenYT/ DISCLAIMER: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. As an Amazon Associate I do earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. As always, thank you for supporting my channel!

I tried watching a second time and this time there was no buffering. You are correct that the scenery is quite beautiful with the bluffs overlooking the river. I imagine it’s even more beautiful in the early autumn with the colors of the season.

Great video! I love the Illinois small towns. Something about the unique natural scenery.

I'm from Alton Illinois. My husband and I loved driving the river road

I knew you'd get this amazing stretch of the River. Go back and do Elsah and the Principia College. It's a mystical place amidst those bluffs .. It was always an easy Sunday drive from Central West End in St Louis up to Principia College for brunch or Pere Marquette for hiking and dinner. Eagles up that way for as long as I have been alive..There are stretches of the road where I'd like some of my ashes thrown. Vast. It looks amazing to this day. Thanks.

Ah, the Great River Road. Long ago, before the bike trail, cycling on the road was legal, and a "rite of spring" for the racing crowd was a sanctioned out & back 25 mile time trial. A goal of mine was to do it under an hour. I was never in good enough shape in early March to be that fast. It was fun anyway - great memories!

You have never been along the Mississippi River north of Savanna Illinois. It’s very scenic too.😬

This video was much better than the previous videos of the neighboring towns that you made. There was no negativity and that made a big improvement. I do have a few things for you to consider, if you are back in the area of Grafton. The Great River Road is best seen in the spring when dogwoods and other trees and plants are in bloom or in October when the bluffs are awash in a sea of reds and golds from the fall colors. Also in the spring, you will see many bald eagles along the bluffs. However, they may not show on your Go Pro. They would definitely require stopping and using a camera with a telephoto lens. If you do the trip on a Saturday or Sunday when the weather is good, you will find the highway busy with traffic. Much of it will be motorcycles and classic cars. If you like that, you might think of it. Many of the houses on the riverside of the highway in Grafton were weekend cabins, although some were year-round residences. They were usually on stilts so as to survive the floods. However, the Great Flood of 1993 was so high and so long, many were damaged and not replaced. You will notice some houses seem like a stack of boxes, because what were once open carport-like parking areas under the houses have been closed in for security. If you are looking for scenery and not just a small town, consider a ride on the Grafton ferry across the Mississippi River. There isn't much to see on the other side, but the ride across is nice. There is also another ferry before Pere Marquette State Park across the Illinois River. This will take you into Brussels with rolling and twisting hills and countryside. part of the way, you have the choice to go to the Golden Eagle ferry across the Mississippi or going north to Hardin, another small river town. The ride is more scenic north of Hardin into Kampsville, which also has a ferry across the Illinois. In all of this, consider a trip through Pere Marquette Park as there are very good views of the rivers from overlooks up in the park. And you got a like on this one. 👍

The legend of the Piasa (Pie-a-saw) bird is very interesting and worth the research. BTW, Alton doesn't even have a Walmart. :)

The drive to or from Grafton to the Pierre Marquette state park, acros the ferry, through Hardin's rolling hills, and across the second ferry into st charles missouri is just beautiful during the srping, summer, and fall. The scenery is awesome.

Do this ride and video in the fall. Colors will wow ya.

I was in Pere Marquette juvenile camp in Grafton...mid 70s. Ran off one cold winter night. No coats (2 of us)...wet hair.. that froze. Got a first hand look of the bluffs.

wow i never knew of a drive like this in illinois, pretty!

Nice video I'm from saint Louis I recently discovered this beautiful place my first time experiencing The Grafton Skilift a great experience... Cool fun an a beautiful site to see I would advise everyone to go check it out .. peace an love to all nothing like an out door experience

Wow Chris this was amazing. I used to travel up to Alton and Grafton. Thank you for the memories, and the Mountain Dew from the local walmart. :-) BTW ALL of this area was under water back in 1993.

Another, rather, scenic drive is IL Rt 3, south of Columbia, IL down to Fountain Bluff (Gorham-Grand Tower, IL). I especially like the scenery south of Chester, IL on IL Rt 3. The river & Illinois Bluffs squeeze together, just north of Fountain Bluff. Where it meets IL Rt 149 to Murphysboro. There is a Natural Gas Pipeline 'Bridge' that crosses the river there. There are places called: The Devil's Backbone, The Devil's Bake Oven & Tower Rock at Fountain Bluff. Like Alton, some Haunted History there too. In 1925, the Tri-State Tornado devastated that area, especially Gorham & Murphysboro.

I love driving the Great River Road especially when the leaves change. I also love driving into Grafton even though when I do it's always super busy

We've been to Grafton Illinois before and man the view on top of the bluffs is amazing.

Take a drive up to Galena sometime. The scenery from Savanna to Galena is top notch.

Chris, I grew up on the bluffs over Grafton. There was nothing touristy about it. LOL We were River Rats.

the great river road ( Beautiful )

We love this place!

Great video, I'm in Grafton once or twice a week. It's an awesome little town and is packed on the weekends, till it gets cold.

I know you're gonna get 1000 comments about this, but it's pronounced "PIE-uh-saw". I know it's a weird word, and it usually takes new local meteorologists in nearby St. Louis about a week to get the pronunciation correct, but I went to a nearby High School that actually has the Piasa Bird as it's mascot, so it maybe is slightly more frustrating for me to have the name said incorrectly so often. All that aside, thank you for making a really nice video. This drive is stunning in the fall with the colors. Have a wonderful day👍

Beautiful scenery!!

Live in St louis, done this drive a few times! Go to the loading dock. Dont do breakfast at Pierre Marquet Lodge.

A flooded grain silo is apparently a hot item. Oh yes, when one thinks of Illinois it's for it's plethora of towering mountains, hills, and of course "hill-jacks"

just an fyi the name of the bird is Piasa pronounced Pie A saw and those caves are in fact man made as they are limestone quarry spots that can be found all along the river road, the area is rich in limestone. and there are still active large quarries in the area as well as some small ones. also the winery you passed in Grafton was the Grafton school that closed then was later purchased by the winery and has undergone numerous renovations and expansions to the point it no longer resembles a school building at all. most of the surviving homes are either business's or have been bought out and turned into airbnb's over the years. I can remember when the town was residential but the flood of 93 took its toll and the government put strict codes on building's to be used as homes, and insurance regulations as well. most buildings that are still lived in had to be raised to over 10' above the 1993 flood level.

Very cool. 📻🙂

My Mom is from Hardin Illinois, we had our family reunions at Pierre Marquette Park. I from Bethalto, Robert Wadlow and my Grandpa Bryant are cousins. But Hardin is not that far from Grafton Illinois. You should go check out Calhoun County Illinois and Hamburg Illinois. Thanks for visiting!

Thanks mate👍👌💯

I thought Grafton was lame but noway this city got a dang aeries ride I wanna go here

Hey Chris I like your video you did on Alton I've been there once in my young days

Grafton looks like a pretty cool place....might be worth a 6 hour drive...maybe.

Ok going for a mc ride tomorrow,,, usually do it at least 3 times a year. One between Christmas and new year's day. If the weather isnt to extreme.

I love Alton, and Grafton! There is also a Bird Cage they call it or something like that. Its a sort of mini no pay like rescue zoo thing, near the back of Grafton some dinky towns and head back on back road. Saw owls, squirrels etc. may even tell the name then just look it up i told the ladies there they need a big tourist s ign so people can come back there and know its there easier. It has other animals even a fox etc and merch too i got a shirt maybe tell you the name and that for its on the shirt. Ok its the TREEHOUSE WILDLIFE CENTER, DOW, IILLINOIS :)

There are tourist during the winter also, eagle watchers.

If you would've told Grafton residents the town would be a tourist hotspot including a winery before the flood of 93, they would've laughed in your face. Progress and revenues are nice, but that flood killed a great small town. I feel fortunate to have lived there, and have memories of when it was a sleepy backwater.

It’s Pie-uh-saw bird….and not everyone drinks Mountain Dew here. 🙄

What's the name of the song that begins at 10:45? It's got that early 90s vibe.

What is the distance of the bike path?

drainage system?

I'm from st.louis and tried to find something to do there and it was just depressing. There's absolutely NOTHING to do over there.

Want to go on the chairlift

Name of the introduction song please 😊

Thinking about making the trek to Grafton for some antiquing is it worth it ?

On my iPad there is no little wheel at the bottom of the screen. On my desktop there is one. But I don't watch your videos on the desktop computer.

The algorithm to be destroyed 😬 I can’t drink Mountain Dew because I have a hiatal hernia and GERD and drinks like Mountain Dew and COKE give me severe pain in my stomach. So they can have my share of those things.

I noticed channel named changed, did I miss something

It's mountain william..not hilljack!

I’m sorry but I can’t watch this anymore. My iPad won’t stop buffering, but I did do my duty to destroy the algorithm. Peace. 😬 Did you see any old cars up on blocks with the tires removed. After all the hill Jacks that are around. The buildings are not here because they are gone. 🥴. I also saw lots of buffering on my iPad. 😵‍💫

Steak and cheese burritos homer b ball ASD

The roads in Alton are steep

You pronounced piasa bird incorrectly

What’s with the mt dew jokes. You do know that is a southern thing right?

Not a fan of the music in the start on this one. Had to skip way ahead.

I’d enjoy this video more if my iPad would stop the infernal buffering! Also the music that you are playing on the road between Alton and Grafton is not my cup of tea. 🤮😵‍💫

Just so you know nothing about the scenery is natural here. Everything is man made including that cave you said wasn't. Those trees on the right, the entire way, hand planted trees. That's a man made hill. When they created the river and the roads and dams and levies and everything else. They moved the dirt, made the mountains, planted the trees, created the weather and claim its all natural. Nope.

i could see it being a tourist town . i would however be worried about outsiders moving in and turning it into a white collar , white flight bed room community slum . pricing the locals out of where they live , turning it into just another dingy suburb.