National Scenic Byway of the Mississippi River
Explore Minnesota's Great River Road Great River Road Photos Minnesota Great River Road
About Plan Your Experience Attractions & Events Photo Gallery Links Order Maps Contact Us
Headwaters Northwoods Crossings Scenic Metro Bluffs
Headwaters Northwoods Crossings Scenic Metro Bluffs
Minnesota Mississippi
Itasca State Park Bemidji Cass Lake Grand Rapids Palisade Aitkin Cuyuna Range Brainerd Little Falls St. Cloud Monticello Elk River Minneapolis St. Paul Hastings Red Wing Lake City Wabasha Kellogg Winona LaCrescent Close Minnesota's Official State Highway Map
Experience Mississippi River
Minnesota Mississippi

THANK YOU to the following for their generous support and prize donations for the 2009 Geocaching Event!

Bloomington Convention & Visitors Bureau

Fairfield Inn Bloomington

Mall of America

Explore Minnesota Tourism

MN Department of Agriculture

Mississippi National River & Recreation Area

Click here for more information on geoaching along the National Great River Road

GEOCACHERS -  Did you find one of our cards in Minnesota State Park cache?  Click here to claim your collector's item. Be sure to enter the park name, code phrase, your name and mailing address.  Where are the caches? 2009 GEOCACHING in Partnership with MN State Parks

Celebrating the Mississippi River in Minnesota

The Mississippi River is a treasure to be uncovered and explored. Her history runs deep as a long-whiskered catfish on a hot summer day. Her tales are timeless. Discover her stories, and create some of your own on a pleasure drive along the Minnesota Great River Road - National Scenic Byway of the Mississippi River.

The Great River Road offers 575 miles of historic and scenic touring through the heart of Minnesota. The byway meanders through a wide variety of landscapes — the humble headwaters, countryside dappled with lakes, the northwoods, ribbons of lush resort and farm country, rolling bluffs, big cities and charming river communities. Worthy of a week's vacation in its entirety, the Mississippi flows naturally through six distinct regions whose unique river experiences can be explored on excursions of any length.

Follow the lure of the river and the freedom of the road to see what lies around the next bend. Pull out a map, tune in some good driving music and load up the car, a van, motorcycle or bike. Your Mississippi River adventure is just waiting to begin. See you on the Great River Road!

LOOKING FOR TRAVEL AND ADVENTURE IDEAS?  Check out the EXPLORER'S GUIDE, the newest travel publication for the MN Great River Road. Click here to see the cover and download sections by region. 

News & Events

Red Wing - Eagle Spot Weekends (2/20/10)
Wabasha - Grumpy Old Men Festival (2/20/10)
Winona Frozen River Film Festival, Jan. 27 - 31 (1/25/10)
St. Paul Winter Carnival, Jan. 21 - 31 (1/25/10)
Lindbergh Candlelight Ski and Showshoe (1/8/10)
RSS Feed RSS Feed...

Mississippi River Fun Facts

In July 1922, Ralph Samuelson, 18, of Lake City, became the first person to water ski. Samuelson cruised around Lake Pepin with 9-foot pine boards on his feet. - Sesquicentenntial Commission

Opening Music: "Take A Look" by Charlie McGuire. Used, gratefully, with permission by the National Park Service National Mississippi River & Recreation Area. Click here to listen to "Take a Look" in its entirety and to hear other great river tunes.
America's Byways Explore Minnesota
The development of this site was made possible by a grant from Explore Minnesota Tourism.
Copyright © 2007-2010 Minnesota Mississippi River Parkway Commission All Rights Reserved. | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy