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Map of Mississippi National River and Recreation Area in Minnesota. The Mississippi River ripples gently from near the top left corner of the map down into the bottom right corner. The river is shown in blue, other waterways in paler blue, parks in green or yellow, and the surrounding terrain in frosty green.

Extended Description

Dozens of parks, regions, areas, roads, features, and sites are labeled, and most of them flank the Mississippi River. River mileposts begin with 880 in the northeast corner and count down to 805 in the bottom right corner. This description will follow the flow of the river from north to south, using the river mileposts in descending order to organize the details.

The first labeled site on the Mississippi River is Riverside Park, which has a boat launch, across from US 10 Wayside, which is shaded pink. Mississippi West Regional Park and Cloquet Overlook Park are near mile 875. Between this and mile 870 are Mississippi River Community Park, which has canoe access, Donnie Galloway Park, Akin Riverside Park with a boat launch, Peninsula Point Two Rivers Historical Park with canoe access, and Mississippi Point Park with a boat ramp.

Now closer to mile 865 are Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park (Anoka Co.), which has visitor information, a boat launch, and canoe access; Coon Rapids Dam Overlook; and Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park (Three Rivers Park District), which has canoe access and visitor information. Sites are more widely spaced between here and mile 855, and include Riverview Heights Park, River Park with a boat launch, Manomin Park, Islands of Peace Park, a boat launch, Anoka County Riverfront Regional Park, North Mississippi Regional Park with visitor information and a boat ramp, Marshall Terrace Park, Gluek Park, Boom Island with a boat launch, and Mississippi Riverfront District.

The next five miles cover Saint Anthony Falls Heritage Trail, Upper Saint Anthony Falls Lock and Dam at Saint Anthony Falls Observation Deck, Stone Arch Bridge Overlook, Mill City Museum with visitor information, Mill Ruins Park, Lower Saint Anthony Falls Lock and Dam, and Bohemian Flats with Riverboat tours and public boat dock.

The river now winds between Minneapolis to the west and Saint Paul to the east. Sites are densely spaced through the next fifteen miles. These include Lock and Dam #1 Observation Deck, Minnehaha Falls, Minnehaha Regional Park, and a boat launch. In a pink zone that cups the southern bank of a bend in the river and continues south are Historic Fort Snelling and Minneapolis/Saint Paul International Airport, Sibley House Historic Site, a boat launch, Fort Snelling State Park with visitor information, and Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center with information.

Back along the river are Watergate with a marina, Hidden Falls-Crosby Farm Regional Park, a boat launch, Lilydale-Harriet Island-Cherokee Regional Park, Minnesota History Center, Mississippi River Visitor Center in the Science Museum of Minnesota, which has visitor information and is labeled with a green callout box, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Headquarters, Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary, Indian Mounds Park Overlook, a marina, and Battle Creek Regional Park.

Now more than halfway along the river, a boat launch, Twin City with a marina, River Heights with a marina, and Lion’s Levee Park with a boat launch are near mile 830. A kidney-shaped bulge in the river between miles 825 and 820 includes Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area and Grey Cloud Dunes Scientific and Natural Area, both shaded in pink. Closer to mile 820 are Schaar’s Bluff Gathering Center, which has visitor information, and two areas of Spring Lake Park Reserve.

The final leg of the river on this map passes Lock and Dam #2 Observation Deck, Lake Rebecca Park shaded in yellow, a boat launch, King’s Cove with a marina, River Flats Park with a boat launch, Levee Park, Hastings Marine with a marina, Great River Road Learning Center and Freedom Park with visitor information, the pink-shaded Gores Pool Wildlife Management Area, and three boat launches spaced along the final 10 miles of this section of the river.

Legend

A scale in the top left corner of the map measures distances of 5 kilometers and 5 miles.

A legend in the top right corner begins with a note: “City, county, and state parks within Mississippi National River and Recreation Area are partners helping visitors experience the Mississippi River.

The legend continues as follows:

Yellow shading and yellow circle for City park,

Green shading and green circle of County park,

Pink for State managed,

Black dash across a blue waterway for Lock and dam,

Blue number for River milepost, and

Light green line separating taupe from cream white for Mississippi National River and Recreation Area authorized boundary.

Four symbols represent Visitor information, Marina, Canoe access, and Boat launch.