Great River Road: Natural Wonders Along or Nearby the Mississippi River

This is one of the most accessible—yet most remote—rivers in the nation. Just an hour’s drive from the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, the Saint Croix NSR is 255 miles of the most scenic and least developed country in the Upper Midwest. It technically comprises two rivers, the Saint Croix and the Namekagon, and both have clean, pristine waters that are good for kayaking, canoeing, paddling, tubing, and simply snapping a few photos. Expert paddlers will find challenges in its more remote settings while beginners can stick to its more serene stretches.

This area is large and naturally distinct. The Upper Riverway—the upper St. Croix and the entire Namekagon—is narrower than the Lower St. Croix. Stick to the Upper, and the paddling will be a closer, more intimate experience with nature and wildlife. The Lower’s appeal is the vast, wide open expanses, and large-scale vistas. Boating, obviously, is more popular (and more doable) in the larger Lower St. Croix.

Basaltic gorges and glacial potholes are highlights of the area’s geography, but as for the flora and fauna, the area is home to brilliant wildflower trails and sees over 240 species of birds. You should also know that two national trails intersect the Riverway: the Ice Age National Scenic Trail and the North Country National Scenic Trail. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area are both less than two hours away by car.

Seventy-two miles of the United States’ greatest river are protected from the town of Ramsey, through the Twin Cities, and down to Hastings, Minnesota. The main visitor center is in St. Paul, but the recreation area spans the waters, nearby trails, grasslands, and streams that cover this monumental area.

Note that this area is hardly just water. Here are a few land-based activities you can take part in at the Mississippi NRRA:

This is one of the most scenic sections of the Upper Mississippi River Valley, and as such, some 20 or so American Indian tribes have once called this area home. Here, over 200 mounds—burial sites—are preserved. It’s difficult to tell from the ground, but from above it’s clear that these aren’t just rolling hills. Each is shaped like an animal.

Mound-building cultures were sprinkled all over the Midwest, but the detail, size, and precision of the shapes at Effigy Mounds is unparalleled. Great Bear Mound, for example, is 137 feet long and well over four feet tall. Fourteen miles of trails (and not a single road) meander between and along these sites, traversing particularly picturesque bluffs along the Mississippi. Unless you’re from the area, you’ll be surprised at the elevation.

To fully understand the significance of this site, be sure to stop into the visitor center. Learning about the mound builders and their practices will help you decipher clues along the trail. Staff might also direct you to other nearby outdoor spots to hit up, like the Driftless Area National Wildlife Refuge, the Yellow River State Forest, and Pikes Peak State Park. Each of these spots is antithetical to the common man’s conception of the Midwest, a maze of bluffs, cliffs, water, high views, and beauty.

Though the man went down in history as a disgrace, the truth is far more complex—and far more kind. Herbert Hoover, the nation’s 31st president, was a man of perseverance, daring, industriousness, and ingenuity. Once he was told he was “too young for a job,” so he bought a suit, grew a mustache, and got it—a mining wage gig that involved riding camels across the Australian Outback. He would go on to become one of the youngest, richest people in the country and an admired humanitarian. By WWI, he was head of the U.S. Food Administration where he designed programs that fed millions daily.

Hoover was born in West Branch, Iowa, now home to the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site. The museum is the main stop — a maze of artifacts and exhibitions detailing the many stages of the man’s life, in addition to an exhibit on all former U.S. presidents. But don’t miss his home. It’s on a small, quiet street next to the museum that’s designed to reflect life in the 1870s, as little Herbie would’ve seen it, complete with blacksmith shop, Quaker meeting-place, and a one-room schoolhouse. Even the dimensions of the road and the sidewalk are period-accurate.

In 2018, Gateway Arch National Park became the 60th national park, formerly known as the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. The obvious thing to do here is to take a tram ride to the top of the Arch (tickets are available inside the west entrance, though in summer you should book in advance), but don’t skip out on the other activities that may help you understand why this site recently achieved coveted national park status.

Before Grant was president, he didn’t have enough money to move his family out West. His wife’s family had a bit of wealth, however, and for most of the 1850s, they lived at her parent’s plantation, White Haven — now the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site.

The nearly 10-acre site is southwest of downtown St. Louis, and five historic structures are still standing. The most surprising bit? That the man who decried slavery spent years benefitting from and tolerating their situation. He owned one himself. That being said, scholars think it’s possible that his time at White Haven informed — and possibly created — his abolitionist views.

While here, start at the Main House. Tours are offered once or twice an hour, from roughly 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. A film is also shown in the Visitor Center theatre. Then move outside, wandering the grounds and smaller buildings, like the ice house, chicken house, and summer kitchen. The interpretative museum is located inside the old stable, showing both American life in the 19th century and the impact Grant had on the country.