Headwaters of the Ole Mississippi River

Copyright 2018, CABS for Reflections From the Fence

AUGUST 2013

We came to this area specifically to see the headwaters of the Mississippi River. It is a very pretty and lush area, at least in 2013.  No drought that year, just look.  Yea, I have a thing for old barns alongside the road. 

We are headed for Itasca State Park:

And, here is the sign, the "Mississippi River", no this is not the headwaters, just the tiny Mississippi:

Isn't it pretty, so small, so peaceful.

At this spot you can walk down.  Other spots in the park there are boardwalks.

You know I had to find a flower:

There is a wonderful visitors center with quite a large number of displays and signage. Nicely done.  Very educational.

Oh, my, we are getting close now:

And:

The headwaters, in the background is Itasca Lake:

As you can see, people cannot resist getting in the water, so they can go home and have bragging rights that they stood in the headwaters, the beginning of the Mississippi River.  Reviewing my photos, I found this information on this formation, paraphrased/extracted data by Moi:  "It is a 44 foot long, 7 foot wide concrete piling/rock dam, constructed by the CCC in the 1930’s, to stabilize the flow out of Lake Itsaca, making a “beautiful site” at the beginning of the Mississippi.  Top was covered by exposed rock weathered to make it appear as natural as possible."  That explains it, I did wonder why - -

Seriously people were having a lot of fun.  While reviewing the photos, I was struck by how party-like the atmosphere was, joyous.  Photo op time!

Now we turn to walk along the Mississippi, at this point we are actually heading north, The Mississippi does meander.  It actually leaves Itsaca and goes north and east to Bemidji, before it eventually turns south and heads for the Gulf of Mexico.  That is a distance of approximately 63 miles northward before the river turns east and then south. Flow is not always north to south with water, it is from high to low.

(By the way, despite the fact that we saw a number of peeps walking along in the water, the signage suggests, my paraphrase:  "Today’s approach to the area is to protect the ecosystem, allowing it’s more natural state of a swampy, sluggish flowing water way.  Thus the boardwalk hopes to allow visitors to enjoy the area and inflict minimal damage.")

Isn't it pretty tho?  Nothing like the Mighty (and some times muddy, always powerful) Mississippi we see when we cross it near St. Louis Missouri, or near Sikeston Missouri, Vicksburg Louisiana,  or Baton Rouge Louisiana, to mention a few places we have driven over the Mississippi in our travels. 

This was a bit "downstream" from the "head" of the river, and people were enjoying a stroll down the Mississippi. (See notes above about how this is actually frowned upon, I am not sure if there is a "official" stated rule to stay OUT of the water this far downstream.)

Next we drove the "Wilderness Drive" for about 7 miles (one way).  We saw Itasca's largest white pine and Minnesota's (former) record red pine (lost it's top in 2007), Elk Lake, Mary Lake and this beetle.

We also saw some lovely lily pads, and since it was so stunningly bright that day, what with my photography skills and photo editing skills, the flowers are little more than glare and shine.  But, here is one anyway, just cause, yes, heavily edited, for all the good it did.  (Note to Carol, you really need to up that photo editing skill/game.)

All in all it was a lovely day.

Next we are off to Duluth Minnesota.



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