Things to Do in Grafton, Illinois
The best things to do in Grafton, Illinois, are hiking Pere Marquette State Park, watching bald eagles in winter and riding the bluff-side Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail. Grafton is a Jersey County river town of 626 people where the Illinois River meets the Mississippi.
James Mason founded Grafton in 1832 and named it for his Massachusetts hometown. Stone quarries, boat building and fishing pushed the population near 10,000 in the 1850s, and Grafton limestone went into St. Louis’ Eads Bridge. The Great Flood of 1993 drove away a third of the residents.
Pere Marquette State Park
Just west of town, this 8,050-acre park is Illinois’ largest state park. It honors Father Jacques Marquette, who explored the Mississippi with Louis Jolliet in 1673. About 12 miles of marked trails climb the loess bluffs to overlooks like McAdams Peak, which holds a Native American burial mound.
★ Good to know Start at the visitor center, which has a 3D map of the park and staff who can suggest a trail.
Pere Marquette Lodge
The Civilian Conservation Corps built this stone and timber lodge in the 1930s, and it’s on the National Register. The Great Room’s stone fireplace rises 50 feet to the roof. There’s a life-size chess set, a restaurant known for its Sunday brunch, and a winery on site.
★ Good to know Even if you’re not staying, the Great Room is worth a walk-through after a hike.
Winter bald eagle watching
Grafton calls itself the winter home of the bald eagle. Hundreds of eagles gather around Pere Marquette in late winter to fish the open water near the confluence. The park counts about 230 bird species in all.
★ Good to know IDNR puts eagle season at December through March, and the visitor center lends binoculars free with a state ID.
Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail
This paved 21.5-mile trail runs from Pere Marquette State Park south to Piasa Park near Alton. It follows the Mississippi below limestone bluffs up to 250 feet high, and it passes right through Grafton. It became a National Recreation Trail in 2006.
★ Good to know At the Alton end, look for the Piasa painting on the bluff, a 22-by-48-foot re-creation finished in 1999.
Historic Main Street
Seven Grafton sites are on the National Register, and most line Main Street. Look for the Grafton Historic District on West Main, the Ruebel Hotel building at 207-215 E. Main, the Grafton Bank at 225 E. Main and the Paris Mason Building on Springfield Street.
★ Good to know Grafton Boat Works at 400 Front St. joined the National Register in 2022, a nod to the town’s boat-building past.
Elsah
Elsah is a village of 519 people a short drive down the Great River Road. The whole town went on the National Register in 1973. James Semple founded it in 1853 and gave free lots to people who built with his quarry’s stone.
★ Good to know Elsah sits on the same bike trail, so you can ride there from Grafton instead of driving.
Where is the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers?
At Grafton. The Illinois River flows into the Mississippi at the edge of town. Pere Marquette State Park’s visitor center sits just north of the meeting point.
When is the best time to see bald eagles in Grafton?
Late winter. IDNR lists eagle season at Pere Marquette as December through March, when hundreds of eagles gather to fish near the rivers.
How big is Pere Marquette State Park?
It covers 8,050 acres, the largest state park in Illinois. It has about 12 miles of marked hiking trails and roughly 20 miles of equestrian trails.
What towns are near Grafton, Illinois?
Elsah is just down the Great River Road, and Alton is at the south end of the bike trail. See things to do in Elsah or more small towns in Illinois.
Where to find them
- Pere Marquette State Park 13112 Visitor Center Lane, Grafton, IL 62037 Website Directions
- Pere Marquette Lodge Route 100, Grafton, IL 62037 Website Directions
- Sam Vadalabene Bike Trail Grafton, IL 62037 Directions
- Historic Main Street Main St., Grafton, IL 62037 Directions
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Where to stay in Grafton
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