Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, national Park Service area in the United States
The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area stretches roughly 72 miles along the Mississippi River in Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. It includes riverbank lands with forests, islands, and backwater areas alongside historic sites such as old mills and bridges, together forming a blend of nature and urban history.
The protected area was established in 1988 to preserve natural and historic sites along the river, making it the only national park site in the United States dedicated solely to the Mississippi River. Centuries earlier, mills powered by waterfalls like those at St. Anthony Falls drove Minneapolis's development into a grain and flour production center.
The name "Mississippi" comes from Dakota Sioux people and means "great river". Visitors can walk along the banks today and see how this waterway links the city and nature together, weaving through green spaces, parks, and historic sites that people use in their daily lives.
Visitors can walk along trails, bike, paddle, or fish, with multiple visitor centers and parks offering information and access points. The area is easily reached from the city and offers activities throughout the year, from snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter to hiking and boating in warmer months.
The site contains St. Anthony Falls, the only major waterfall on the Mississippi, which once powered the early mills that shaped Minneapolis. This is a rare geological feature on an otherwise slow-flowing river and marks the industrial force that molded the region.
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