A watery—and wiggly—current wends its way right down the middle of the United States, dividing the East from the West. The Mississippi River springs to life in northern Minnesota.
It grows stronger as it courses down the length of the country—all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. As it flows, it picks up soil from fertile farmlands that line its banks and carries it south as sediment. This turns the river brown, giving it the nickname “Old Muddy.”
The Mississippi is full of surprises. Near its source at Lake Itasca, the river may be only 10 to 20 feet wide—depending on rain. People like to hop across the river on stones, telling friends that they walked across the Mississippi. Traveling downriver, the waters are so calm they can lull you to sleep. Just around the bend, though, eddies can cause even a large boat to careen wildly, submerged trees can tear holes in the bottom of the sturdiest craft, and sandbars can ground a vessel for days. Join us for an adventurous trip down the mighty Mississippi.
