Mississippi National River and Recreation Area
school
Did You Know?
- Sixty percent of all grain exported from the United States is transported and shipped on the Mississippi River.
- The Mississippi River is home to at least 260 species of fish, 25% of all fish species in North America.
- The Mississippi River's depth ranges from under 3 feet at its source in Minnesota to the deepest section, which is 200 feet deep.
The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area, part of the National Park Service, encompasses 54,000 acres and 72 miles of river. From Dayton and Ramsey in the north to Hastings in the south, this stretch of river is both representative and significant. It contains the only gorge on the 2,350-mile-long waterway, as well as the only waterfall on the Mississippi River, St. Anthony Falls. Named in 1680, the falls have been used to generate power for logging and flour milling, as well as electricity for the general population.
