Itasca State Park and the Mighty (Little) Mississippi

As an addendum to my last post entitled “My Bucket List is Overflowing,” I thought I’d share with you that yet another item has been added to our Bucket List.  Last week I received an email from our friend, Kevin, which included a comment that he and his wife, Maddison, had added the Rocky Mountaineer to their list.  Of course, Kevin included a link to the website so that Alan and I would start drooling over the company’s train excursions through the Canadian Rockies.  The domed rail cars of the Rocky Mountaineer offer superb views of the dramatic and magnificent mountain scenery, and several different route options are available.  So, our Bucket List runneth over even more, but this time it’s Kevin’s fault, not mine.

When it comes time to write a post, I am easily distracted by anything even remotely related to RVing – or regular travel, for that matter – so I wasn’t surprised to see that my last post documenting our 2015 trip to Minnesota and Michigan was published more than three months ago.  Today’s post will get me back in the saddle, so to speak, and it details our visit to the headwaters of the Mississippi River – the actual destination around which the entire trip was built.  Yes, it was a Bucket List item and, yes, we decided that it was absolutely, positively worthwhile.  Come along, my friends, and join us on the adventure!

Every story starts somewhere, and the story of the Mighty Mississippi River begins at its source - Lake Itasca in Minnesota.  At its point of origin, the very little Mississippi is only 20 to 30 feet wide and shallow enough to stroll carefully across.  When we think of the Mississippi and its storied history, paddle wheelers and commercial barges come to mind, as do intrepid pioneers struggling at dangerous crossings, determined to settle in the west.  What doesn’t come to mind is a lovely and idyllic setting at a small lake in Itasca State Park and, yet, that’s exactly where the mighty river gets its start.  At the headwaters of the Mississippi, water leaves Lake Itasca at the rate of approximately 45 gallons per second.  By the time the river reaches New Orleans, the average flow rate is 4,488,312 gallons per second.  Don’t believe me?  Check out “Mississippi River Facts” on the National Park Service website – link HERE.  (Keep in mind that one cubic foot of water equals 7.48052 gallons.)  Along the way, the tiny little river transforms itself into the Mighty Mississippi - the second longest river in North America.  (The Missouri River is longer by approximately 100 miles.  Yes, I wanted to know, too.)

The humble beginnings of the Mississippi River at Lake Itasca

Alan, our daughter, Kyra (who was 16 at the time), and I made the drive to Itasca State Park from our base camp at Lake Bemidji State Park in just under an hour.  Itasca State Park is a gorgeous park, and I think we could have easily spent two full days enjoying it.  (Note to self: Remember that for next time.)  The three of us drove through the park, rode the bike trail, tried to have lunch at the Douglas Lodge (yes, tried) and visited the headwaters of the Mississippi twice that day.

In addition, we could have enjoyed the swimming beach, hiked on one of the many trails, paddled our kayaks on a quiet lake or taken a boat tour of Lake Itasca.  Fun facts: Itasca State Park is Minnesota’s oldest State Park (established in 1891), includes more than 32,000 acres and contains more than 100 lakes!  The entire state of Minnesota, known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” actually has more than 11,000 of them.

Now, about that lunch . . . According to the Minnesota Historical Society, the Douglas Lodge (which is located within Itasca State Park, along the southern shore of Lake Itasca) was built in 1905 and is the oldest surviving building in the Minnesota State Park system.  That might explain why, when we stopped at the Douglas Lodge for lunch that day, most of the power in the kitchen was out.  Our server was a real gem – a lovely and friendly young woman with a “can do” attitude that just wouldn’t quit (even though the electricity did).  She gamely squeezed a few final soft drinks out of the soda fountain, and moved a microwave to one of the few remaining working outlets in the kitchen just so she could warm up some pastries leftover from breakfast that morning for us.

I have to admit, this was one of the best lunches I never had.  Our young server’s sense of humor kept everyone’s spirits buoyed, and she just about begged us to come back for dinner because she knew we wouldn’t be disappointed.  When we told her we intended to ask for her when we returned later, she delivered the bad news that her shift would be over.  We were ridiculously disappointed, and it was rather odd to feel so strongly about someone we had just met.  We did return for supper, and I will say that our server’s recommendation was spot on.  The chefs at the Lodge favor Minnesota grown ingredients, so expect to see walleye, cheese curds, wild rice and other North Woods specialties on the menu, including regional wines and beers.  We enjoyed a scrumptious meal with entertainment provided by the hummingbirds patronizing the feeder outside our window.  Let me tell you, we’d go back to the Douglas Lodge in a heartbeat.

I highly recommend the walleye - it was delicious!

The Douglas Lodge also offers, well, lodging.  Overnight guests can choose one of several upstairs rooms in the Lodge itself, or suites in the nearby log structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1938.  The accommodations are rustic but charming, and I do believe they would offer a traveler a delightful experience.  Especially if the electricity is working.  Wink, wink.

The main part of Douglas Lodge that includes the dining rooms

So, enough about the Lodge, you’re thinking.  What about the headwaters of the Mississippi?  First, allow me to share a practical and important tip.  (Make a note, Laurel!)  If you are the kind of person who enjoys quiet reflection at places like this or is inclined toward capturing scenic and serene photographic images, time your visit to the headwaters carefully.  We were visiting in late July during Kyra’s summer vacation from school.  When we first arrived at the headwaters in the early afternoon, it was more like a sea of humanity than the origin of a river.  Wisely, we returned later in the day around 5:00 p.m. and literally had the entire place to ourselves for about 30 minutes.  If crowds are not to your liking, be sure to plan your visit to the headwaters for early morning or evening.  You will thank me later. 

I "sea" a little too much humanity.

So, what did I think about the one destination around which the entire trip was built?  I LIVE for unusual attractions and experiences like this, and if they're off the beaten path that's fine by me.  So, maybe I’m a bit biased toward this humble little river flowing out of a quiet and scenic lake.

When I stood at the headwaters of the Mississippi, I was thinking about the river at flood stage when we were in St. Louis some years back.  I was thinking about the steamboats and paddle wheelers that plied her waters, the towns that were built because of the resources the river provided and transported, and the many, many people who were born, lived and died on the river, because of the river.  The Mississippi is the stuff of legends, the driving force behind fortunes won and lost, and it remains at the heart of our country even as it divides it.  The experience was magical and the memories are sweet.