Mississippi National River & Recreation Area

In the middle of a bustling urban setting, this 72 mile river park offers quiet stretches for fishing, boating and canoeing, birdwatching, bicycling, and hiking. And there are plenty of visitor centers and trails that highlight the fascinating human history of the Mississippi River. This a great place to start your exploration of this important river.

Voyageur Canoes

The park often uses big, safe Voyageur canoes in our programs.

Large canoes and crews paddle down the river amidst autumnal color.

Storms over Grey Cloud Dunes

Storm clouds begin gathering over Grey Cloud Dunes Scientific and Natural Area

Gray clouds over flowers growing on sand dunes.

Modern day Voyageurs Paddle the Mississippi River

A Voyageur canoe makes headway up a river while surrounded by autumnal color.

A large canoe filled with paddlers on the river surrounded by autumnal color.

Great Egret Fishes the Mississippi River

Wildlife is a common sight along the river.

A large, long-necked, long-legged bird wades in the river.

Savanna at Coldwater Spring

Visitors can glimpse the past in the Coldwater Spring savanna restoration.

Large trees are widely spaced in a grassland.

Canoeing the Vermillion River Backwaters

The Vermillion River Bottoms are a tangle of waterways where the river meets the Mississippi River.

A canoeist paddles through a water channel between islands.

Canoeing through Lotus Blossoms

Lotus beds bloom in the backwaters of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and provide canoeists an unexpected visual treat.

A canoeist reaches out and holds a large, yellow flower.

Water Source for a Fort

The Spring House at Coldwater Spring provided water to Historic Fort Snelling and the Upper Post.

Water tumbles down layers of rock with an old stone spring house in the background.

Building a Nest

Blue herons are a common sight on the Mississippi River and its backwaters.

A large, long-necked, long-legged bird flies overhead carrying a branch.

Canoeing Past Gulls

Canoeists find a wide variety of wildlife in the backwaters of the Mississippi River.

Gulls stand on a floating log while a canoe passes in the background.

Fall Colors

Vibrant fall colors shown along the river in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Trees showing fall colors on their leaves along the river.

Clouds Over the Mississippi River

The upper stretch of the Mississippi River in the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is often referred to as the "Prairie River" due to its gentle banks. Further downstream is the Mississippi River gorge and below that is the floodplain river

White clouds streak the blue sky over a river flanked by sandy shorelines and green trees.