Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service)

QUICKLINKS:

The Mississippi River

Established in 1988, the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area includes 72 miles of the Mississippi River stretching from the cities of Dayton and Ramsey to just south of Hastings, Minnesota. [map]

The segment of the river flowing through the park has always been of major significance as a spiritual site, a place for recreation, and a tourist attraction.

Park Video

Mississippi River canoeists glide past trees with red and gold leaves perched on a riverside cliff.

Fall Activities

Autumn is a time of transition from the sultry heat of summer to the bitter winds of winter. But despite its extremes, autumn offers some of the most spectacular weather of the year. Cool days and cooler nights, trees ablaze with fall color. It's a great time of the year for hiking, exploring, or taking that last paddle of the season.
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The Mississippi River tumbles over a dam.

Mississippi River Forum

The Mississippi River Forum is intended to increase coordination between a multidisciplinary group of practitioners and decision-makers who are not consistently aware that related work is being done by others. Check here for monthly scheduled meetings and information about past presentations.
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The 2009 Big River Art Contest

Hundreds of students each year enter their Mississippi River themed art in the Big River Art Contest. As usual, it was difficult to pick the winning entries and all of the artists are to be commended for their creative efforts. View the 2009 winning entries on our website.
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Connect with the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area via Facebook, Flickr and our RSS feeds.

Connect with the Park

Become a part of the online Mississippi National River and Recreation Area community by sharing your experiences, thoughts and images in our Facebook and Flickr groups. Stay informed and up to date on Mississippi River events, programs and issues with convenient news feeds.
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Write to

111 East Kellogg Blvd.
Suite 105
Saint Paul, MN 55101

E-mail Us

Phone

Headquarters
(651) 290-4160

Visitor Center
(651) 293-0200

Fax

(651) 290-3214

Climate

Minnesota is known for its extremes in temperature. Winter days can sometimes get no warmer that -10 degrees F. Summer days can reach 100 degrees F. But it is a rare day that people are kept indoors because of the weather. A wide variety of recreational opportunities can be found throughout the park in any season. Plan to dress in layers, and be prepared for mosquitoes during the warm seasons.