Mississippi River Headwaters Area

Discover the headwaters of the Mississippi River; follow the first quarter-mile of the river and enjoy views across Lake Itasca. Watch for warblers, eagles, and common loons in this excellent spring birding area.

9 / 10
50
ratings
  • Phone

    (218) 699-7251

  • Website

    dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/Itasca/index.html

  • Type

    Hiking Trail

Address

Main Park Dr (at Itasca State Park) Park Rapids , MN 56470 United States

Comments / 11


Keywords:

mississippi headwaters biking ice cream trails quiet camping park states dips lakes short beach town well
Erik Rowley

Beautiful state park , where the Mighty Mississippi River flows from its source at Lake Itasca and embarks on a journey to the Gulf of Mexico.

Erik Rowley

The rock bridge at the headwaters is man-made. It's tradition to walk barefoot across the origin of the Mississippi . Step carefully, the rocks are slippery and it's easy to fall in!

Candice Rivera

Amazing! So much fun to cross, a lot of historic info and nature trails . Stunning!

Carol Whetzel

Well worth the short hike to get to the head waters and see a bit of history. Take a quick walk across the Mississippi ...cause you can!

Travis Kules

A must see when in the Wadena area, park rapids is a cool town .

Patricia

Cool experience on a hot day, with lots of other people, laughing and having a good time playing in the Mississippi .

Shan OConnor

Plan on spending a day on the bike paths ? Start at the Headwaters and go towards Douglas Lodge . Your ride back will be mostly downhill.

Jen R

Don't miss this experience. Great for kids and adults alike. The rocks can be a little slick, so use caution.

Anna Halliday

Biking , beach , pontoon rentals, history, quiet , Native American culture, trails , camping , etc

Emma S

Really cool place. Watch out for the slippery rocks

Lori Webb

Fabulous hand dipped ice cream to cool off

Similar places nearby :

Resort
Douglas Lodge

Eat here! The wild rice soup and malts are great. - Jen R

Tourist Information
Mary Gibbs Mississippi Headwaters Center

Check out the purple pie in the cafe!! At least they had it here today. Quite interesting... I must say. ;) - Shan OConnor

7.2
Scenic Lookout
Aiton Heights Fire Tower

The view up here is amazing. Well worth the climb to the top. - Alison Ludewig

Scenic Lookout
Peace Pipe Vista

The view is okay. It was probably fantastic 30 years ago when the trees weren’t so tall. Also, wear insect repellent. The mosquitos are ferocious!! - Todd McGowan

8.5
State / Provincial Park
Itasca State Park

This place is amazing! Plan to spend the day meandering about the park. There's so much to see, but make sure you walk across the Mississippi river at the headwaters. So much fun! - Carol Whetzel