Natural Resources & Stewardship

While you can certainly enjoy a special river experience through an indoor venue (museum, restaurant, riverboat, etc.), there's nothing like getting outdoors to really touch the river.   Use the Great River Road as your route and any one of the 11 Minnesota State Parks along the bway or the many regional parks and wildlife areas in the National Park Service 's Mississippi National River & Recreation Area to help you get started.  Hike, picnic, camp, fish, canoe, kayak, or geo-cache your way to a river experience that will help you discover your river passions, then consider putting those passions to work as a river steward.  Check out the list of river-related service projects to find one that fits your interests and schedule.   Please follow the "Leave No Trace" Guidelines whenever you spend time outdoors.  What we do today matters tomorrow.

Mississippi River's National Park
The Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (MNRRA - prounounced Minn-Ra) is Minnesota's only National Park.  Located along 72 miles of river corridor from Dayton (just north of the Twin Cities) to Hastings (just south of St. Paul).  Turn to this comprehensive list of outdoor parks and wildlife areas and let the adventures begin. 


Minnesota State Parks 
There are 11 state parks and a State Recreation Area in Minnesota that touch the Mississippi River.  You'll find a unique historic, cultural, scenic and recreational perspective at each one.  Talk about a collection of natural resource!

From North to South:
Itasca State Park - Park Rapids
Lake Bemidji State Park - Bemidji
Schoolcraft State Park  - west of Grand Rapids
Savanna Portage State Park - north of Aitkin
Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area - Ironton
Crow Wing State Park - south of Brainerd
Charles A. Lindbergh State Park - Little Falls
Lake Maria State Park - Monticello
Fort Snelling State Park - Minneapolis
Frontenac State Park - Frontenac
John A. Latsch State Park - north of Winona
Great River Bluffs State Park - south of Winona

Other State Resources:
State Park Camping Reservations
State Trails Information
Geo-Caching in Minnesota's State Parks
Sesquicentennial Celebration:  State Parks Weekly Quiz!
Minnesota's 2008-2012 State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan

Regional Resources:
Hok-Si-La Municipal Park & Campground:  Info & Reservations (Lake City, MN)