The Breathtaking Scenic Drive Through Minnesota That Runs Along The Mississippi River
By Trent Jonas|Published March 25, 2024
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Trent Jonas
Author
Trent Jonas came to Minnesota to attend college - and never left. He's a Twin Cities-based writer with a BA in English and a MFA in creative writing, a Minnesota Master Naturalist, and the proud father of two adult children. With more than a decade of freelance writing experience under his belt, Trent is often out exploring his favorite topics: Minnesota's woods, lakes, and trails. Rhubarb pie is his weakness, so discovering new diners is also a passion.
Our state is – I think, anyway – one of the most beautiful in the entire country. And a large part of what makes it that way is our abundant lakes and waterways, including the grandaddy of them all: the Mighty Mississippi. This iconic river flows for more than 600 miles in Minnesota, from its headwaters at Lake Itasca through the Twin Cities and down to the Iowa border. Along its course, it passes through some of the most iconic and pristine scenery in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. One of the best ways to experience the grandeur of its mighty flow is to follow it for a while. And you can do just that on this breathtaking Mississippi River road trip in Minnesota.
The beauty of a drive like this is that you can do it in small segments or all at once – whatever works for you! If you want to add some scenery to the trip, start (or end) at Taylors Falls by following the St. Croix River to or from its confluence with the Mississippi near Hastings. I think that drive is also quite lovely. No matter how you do it, though, you’ll definitely want to get out and stretch your legs along the way, so be sure to bring an app like AllTrails Plus with you. That way, you’ll have all the trail maps – which are downloadable for offline use – you’ll need right at your fingertips, whether you have cell service or not.
Have you driven any part of the scenic Mississippi River road trip in Minnesota? Let us know in the comments!
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