Mississippi National River & Recreation Area map and highlights

Basic information for visitors to the  Mississippi National River & Recreation Area In southeastern  Minnesota, from Dayton and Ramsey to Hastings.    

Mississippi National River & Recreation Area in southeastern Minnesota, from Dayton and Ramsey to Hastings.    

Museums, cultural centers, and natural and historical  attractions stretch along 72 mi of the Mississippi River corridor,  representing the dynamic history of the great, 2,350-mi waterway.  Twenty-five communities are settled along this 54,000-acre section of  river, each unique in its coastal attractions, which range from quiet  rural parks to bustling metropolitan riverfronts. Numerous exhibits and  museums are points of interest in each town, notably the Minnesota  History Center and the Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul; the  Sibley House Historic Site in Men-dota; and the Mill City Museum in  Minneapolis. The area was established on November 18, 1988.    

WHAT TO SEE & DO    

Bicycling, boating, boat touring, canoeing, cross-country  skiing, fishing, guided and self-guided tours, hiking, picnicking,  swimming. Facilities: 5 visitor centers: Mississippi River (lobby of  Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul), Coon Rapids Dam East (9750 Egret  Blvd., Coon Rapids), Coon Rapids Dam West (10360 W. River Rd., Brooklyn  Park), Fort Snelling State Park (1 Post Rd., St. Paul), and North  Mississippi Regional Park (4900 Mississippi Court, Minneapolis);  museums, hiking trails. Programs & Events: Informational talks,  museum events, interpretive centers, and stewardship programs. Tips  & Hints: River may freeze Dec-Mar.    

FOOD & LODGING    

Camping: None at site. In Andover: Anoka County Park (550  Bunker Lake Blvd. NW, tel. 763/757-3920; 48 sites; $14-$19; flush  toilets, showers, hook-ups). E Hotels: None in the park. In Anoka: Anoka  Super 8 (1129 W. U.S. 10, tel. 763/422-8000 or 800/800-8000; 56 rooms;  $60-$85). In Hastings: Hastings Country Inn & Suites (300 33 St. W,  tel. 651/437-8870; 50 rooms, 11 suites; $75, $89 suites). X Restaurant:  None in the park. In Prescott, WI: Steamboat Inn & River Charters  (U.S. 10 at Bridge, tel. 651/480-8222; $7-$12; closed Mon. and Tues.).    

FEES, HOURS & REGULATIONS    

Free. Fees to enter some parks in corridor: Coon Rapids Dam East  ($4), Coon Rapids Dam West ($4), Fort Snelling State Park ($7).  Minnesota fishing and watercraft license ($9.50-$18 for one day)  required. Area open daily 24 hours. Science Museum Visitor Center open  mid-June-early-Sept., Mon.-Sat. 9:30-9, Sun. noon-5; early  Sept.-mid-June, Mon.-Wed. 9:30-5, Thurs.-Sat. 9:30-9, Sun. noon-5.  Closed one week in early Sept.; shorter hours on some holidays. Other  visitor center hours vary by site.    

HOW TO GET THERE    

The park covers a 72-mi stretchof the Mississippi River from  Dayton and Ramsey, through the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro region, to  south of Hastings. Closest airport: Minneapolis-St. Paul.    

CONTACTS    

Mississippi National River & Recreation Area (111 E. Kellogg  Blvd., Suite 105, St. Paul, MN 55101, tel. 651/290-4160, fax  651/290-3214, ). Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park (9750 Egret Blvd., Coon  Rapids, MN 55433, tel. 763/757-4700 east side, 763/757-8187 west side,).  Fort Snelling State Park (1 Post Rd, St. Paul, MN 55111, tel.  612/725-2724,). North Mississippi Regional Park (4900 Mississippi Court,  Minneapolis, MN 55430, tel. 612/370-4865). Science Museum Visitor  Center (120 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul, MN, 55102, tel. 651/293-0200).  Minnesota Office of Tourism (100 Metro Sq., 121 7th Pi. E, St. Paul, MN,  55101, tel. 651/296-5029 or 800/657-3700).   

Mississippi National River & Recreation Area. Basic  information for visitors to the Mississippi National River &  Recreation Area In southeastern Minnesota, from Dayton and Ramsey to  Hastings