The Mississippi begins its course in Itasca State Park. In the headwaters area, visitors can cross the river using stepping stones, a wooden bridge or by wading through shallow water. Here, the beginning of a great river becomes tangible as a specific place: the source and several ways to cross the river lie side by side. For Minnesota, this is a striking introduction to a journey in which water connects landscape and history.

Water, Forests and Trails

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is a vast protected area of lakes and forests that stretches for about 100 miles along the U.S. border with Canada. Its canoe route network spans more than 1,200 miles and runs across more than 1,000 lakes, rivers and streams connected by portages. The two measurements show different dimensions: about 100 miles describes the area’s extent along the border, while more than 1,200 miles describes the routes through the waterway area. Most lakes are designated as motor-free waters; only paddlecraft are allowed there.

Voyageurs National Park covers 218,000 acres of lakes, forests and streams in northern Minnesota. On Rainy Lake, the Grand Tour combines wildlife and landscape viewing with stories about the park’s cultural and historical significance. Nature observation and interpretation come together on this tour. Check the tour schedule in advance, as it may change.

The North Canoe Voyage offers a different focus: this on-the-water experience is designed as a living history lesson, with costumed rangers sharing historical information. The program is weather-dependent. A garden tour in Voyageurs National Park also includes unique rock sculptures, dry-stacked terraces with flower beds, building ruins and winding paths.

Beyond these national parks, bodies of water and their surroundings also shape the discoveries on offer. The Waterfalls Walk in Gooseberry Falls State Park leads to Middle Falls and Upper Falls. Picnic Flow on the shore of Lake Superior is an easily accessible, solidified lava flow. In the Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, a 72-mile corridor along the Mississippi combines hiking and biking with gorges, waterfalls, historic mill districts and museums. Waterfalls and trails are in view alongside geology and the history of the mills.

Places with History

Historic Fort Snelling is a National Historic Landmark on Bdote, Dakota homeland; the history of this place spans 10,000 years. The fort includes the Plank Museum & Visitor Center, housed in a restored 1904 cavalry barracks. There are also river overlooks, paved trails and exhibit areas. Bdote’s long history and the 1904 building make different eras visible here.

At Pipestone National Monument, the Indigenous tradition of quarrying red stone for pipes dates back more than 3,000 years. The pipes are used in prayer and ceremonies; the tradition continues to this day. The focus is therefore not only on a long history, but also on a practice that is still carried on.

The Mill City Museum is housed in the ruins of what was once the world’s largest flour mill and tells the story of Minneapolis’s flour industry. Its Baking Lab complements this historical perspective with exhibits on flour production, demonstrations and samples of freshly baked foods. The history of the industry meets the topics associated with flour production.

Events and Architecture

The Minnesota State Fair is an annual, 12-day event. It celebrates Minnesota’s agriculture, arts and industry and ends on Labor Day. Dates vary from year to year, so check the dates for your travel year if you want to plan your trip around the fair.

The 322-acre Minnesota State Fairgrounds has a park-like layout, gardens and architecture from the Art Deco era and the Works Progress Administration era. Outside the annual State Fair, it hosts more than 200 events a year, including livestock shows, sporting competitions, car shows and special events. So, in addition to the 12-day fair, there are other events on the calendar; check the dates to match your trip.

Discover more destinations: Rock, Murray, Scott, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington, St. Louis, Faribault, Stevens, Mille Lacs, Carver, Anoka, Olmsted, Marquette, Goodhue, Pennington County, Benton County, Winona County, Clay County, Douglas County, Blue Earth County, Steele County, Crow Wing County, Wright County, Chisago County, Beltrami County, Polk County, Brown County, Otter Tail County, Pine County, Sherburne County, Freeborn County, Todd County, Waseca County, Becker County, Kanabec County, Redwood County, Dodge County, Cottonwood County, Kandiyohi County, Hubbard County, Nicollet County, Lake Of The Woods County, Lake County, Carlton County, Chippewa County, Cook County, Martin County, Stearns County, Mower County, Morrison, Roseau, Koochiching, Watonwan County, Chickasaw County, Cass County, Deer River, Kittson County, Houston County, Rice County, Itasca County, Clearwater County, Marshall County, Pipestone County, Le Sueur County, McLeod County, Aitkin County, Wadena County.

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