Mississippi River: Lake Itasca to Cass Lake

Location North Central Minnesota; Clearwater and Beltrami Counties DNR Parks and Trails Northwestern Regional Office (218) 308-2372

• At Lake Itasca the Mississippi River begins its 2,350-mile journey to the Gulf of Mexico. From Lake Itasca to Cass Lake, the river is surrounded by wilderness and does not have dangerous rapids, making it excellent for beginning paddlers.
• Tell me more about this river's landscape, wildlife, and history.
• No major rapids, but cattails and wild rice choke the river upstream of Lake Irving by July. River rapids ratings.