Lake Itasca, Glacial lake in Clearwater County, Minnesota.
Lake Itasca spans 1.8 square miles with depths ranging from 20 to 35 feet, nestled within a terrain of mixed forests at 1,475 feet above sea level.
Henry Schoolcraft confirmed Lake Itasca as the source of the Mississippi River in 1832, following William Morrison's initial discovery of the area in 1804.
The Ojibwe people named this water body Omashkoozo-zaaga'igan, meaning Elk Lake, before French Canadian explorers called it Lac Labiche.
Visitors can access the Mississippi River headwaters through stepping stones at the lake's outlet, located within Itasca State Park.
The University of Minnesota maintains a biological research station at Lake Itasca, conducting year-round studies of the three converging ecosystems.
Location: Clearwater County
Elevation above the sea: 450 m
GPS coordinates: 47.21806,-95.20722
Latest update: May 28, 2025 11:44
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