72-mile protected corridor along the Mississippi River includes natural, historical, recreational, cultural, scenic, scientific, and economic resources of national significance

How to Get There

Overview

The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is a 72-mile (116 km) and 54,000-acre (22,000 ha) protected corridor along the Mississippi River through the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro in Minnesota, from the cities of Dayton and Ramsey, to just downstream of Hastings. This stretch of the upper Mississippi River includes natural, historical, recreational, cultural, scenic, scientific, and economic resources of national significance. This area is the only national park site dedicated exclusively to the Mississippi River.

Sections

The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is between River Miles 879 and 806. The National Park Service categorizes it into five approximate sections.

The Wild and Scenic River (River Mile 879 to 863) — North of the Twin Cities the river is a state wild and scenic river, slowing as it reaches the Coon Rapids Dam. This segment begins at the confluence of Crow River and the Mississippi near Ramsey and Dayton and flows to Banfil Island at Brooklyn Park and Fridley.

The River of the Falls/The Urban River (River Mile 862 to 852) — From Brooklyn Center the river approaches several falls, beginning with Saint Anthony, and enters the historic Milling District near downtown Minneapolis.

The Gorge/Where the Rivers Meet (River Mile 852 to 843) — After the Milling District, the river enters the Mississippi gorge that extends past Fort Snelling State Park to its confluence with the Minnesota River.

The Working River (River Mile 840 to 833) — From near downtown Saint Paul, the river begins to feature tow boats and barge traffic as it winds to the Pig's Eye Lake Scientific and Natural Area.

The Forested Floodplain (River Mile 833 to 806) — From South Saint Paul, the river widens further with numerous backwaters and the bluffs are higher. Past Hastings and toward the Vermillion River, the Mississippi becomes wilder again.

This article uses material from the Wikipedia article "Mississippi National River and Recreation Area", which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0