Enjoy exploring the village of Alto Pass, surrounded by rolling hills and the breathtaking scenery of the Shawnee National Forest. Area natural attractions include: Cedar Lake, Little Grand Canyon, Quetil Trail, Trail of Tears State Forest and Pomona Natural Bridge. As you travel the rolling hills of Hwy. 127, six of the wineries of the Shawnee Hills Wine Trail are in this area. Enjoy the distinctive character of the wineries on the west side of the wine trail.
Enjoy an immersive farm experience with a visit, or even a farm stay, at Rendleman Orchards. Whether you’re looking for locally grown peaches, nectarines, apples, or just a fun filled experience in u-pick flower fields or pumpkin patch, Rendleman Orchards is the place to go. Open 7 days a week from late June until Oct. 31. Create new memories with your favorite people while taking selfies at various photo opportunity installations scattered among The Fields at Rendleman Orchards. Wander through a beautiful Zinnia field, Cosmo field, Sunflower fields, mum field, strawberry patch or educational Butterfly garden. This magical immersive experience is located on the 150 year old property, a true working family farm, now operating in the 5th generation. Borrow a wagon and head out to select your pumpkins, snap some pictures, and enjoy fall on the farm! Depending on the season you will find fresh-picked, tree ripened, peaches, nectarines or apples to take home with you. The Farm Market offers a wide variety of locally grown produce, jams, jellies, country gourmet specialty foods, peach smoothies, apple cider floats and warm apple cider donuts! The most unique gift items adorn their country store displayed upon orchard and family heirlooms from decades past.
A True Farm Stay with an Immersion Experience
The Cottage at Rendleman
Orchards offers a one-of-a-kind stay where simplicity meets authenticity, and the values of family farming surrounds you; hard work, honesty, self-reliance, and respect for the land; are alive and well.
Originally built in the early 1900s and mostly for farmhands, this charming two-bedroom cottage sits beside one of the orchard ponds, with views of rolling fruit trees, open skies, and chickens clucking about. It’s the kind of place where time slows down and you’re invited to reconnect—to nature, to the land, and to yourself.
Guests of the Cottage are encouraged to explore the beauty Rendleman Orchards has to offer:
Enjoy the Farm Grounds // Admire orchard views, see the history of old weather worn barns dotting the landscapes, take a stroll through the summer and fall flower fields while in bloom, do a little fishing or hiking on the farm.
Visit the Farm Market // The Farm Market is open late June through October 31. Shop seasonal produce like juicy peaches, nectarines, crisp apples, as well as apple butters, baking mixes and other farm delights.
Cut Your Own Flowers // In the warmer months, guests are invited to enjoy the U-Pick flower fields, where you can cut your own fresh bouquet straight from the field.
Collect Eggs // Visit your own personal on-site chicken coop and gather your own fresh eggs each morning.
Pondside Peace // Sip coffee on the porch swing overlooking the pond or throw a line in and see what bites.
Golf Cart Exploring // You may choose to take a cruise on the four-seater golf cart add-on to explore the farm grounds and discover serene photo spots along the way or quiet places to watch the sunset.
Evenings by the Fire // Wind down around the fire pit under the stars. Clear country skies and a provided telescope make this a stargazer’s dream.
Hike Quetil Trail, from downtown Alto Pass
Enjoy this 2.6-mile out-and-back trail. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 52 min to complete. Watch for the stone stairs up the bluff to Cliff View park. This is a very popular area for hiking and running, so you’ll likely encounter other people while exploring. In addition, explore the scenery of the Shawnee National Forest with a short hike at the Pomona Natural Bridge, or a more in depth adventure at the Little Grand Canyon area.
Take the scenic drive up Bald Knob mountain for spectacular views of the forest valley. Through the binocular on the observation deck, you can see the top of the Bill Emerson bridge connecting Illinois to Missouri at Cape Girardeau, and the Mississippi River snaking through the forest. Open 7 days a week 8AM to sunset. There are several special event weekends throughout the year.
Handmade pottery, and gift-able art in a historic building: Alto Clay Works is the home of Steve Grimmer’s studio, a showroom for handmade functional pottery, a classroom for adult and youth pottery classes, and resident artist studios. In 2015, Steve completed construction of a large, two-chamber wood burning kiln which is fired in November, January, and April. Often at work at his wheel, he’s happy to show visitors how he makes pots.
Visit Havisham House Bourbon Bar Located at 260 Main Street, the Havisham House occupies Alto Pass’s oldest commercial building, originally built in the 1800s as the Alto Pride Flour Mill. Havisham House breathed new life into this historic gem, turning it into southern Illinois’ first upscale bourbon bar, which opened its doors in September 2022.
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