Northwest · Northeast · Metro · Southeast
Mississippi River
Follow Minnesota’s great north-to-south river corridor from its lake-country headwaters toward cities, floodplain forests, and bluff country.
Abrir la fuente fluvial oficial
Sigue el agua
Los ríos de Minnesota conectan todos sus paisajes lacustres.
Start with a river corridor, compare its regions, then open official water-trail maps and current conditions before choosing where to paddle, walk, fish, or watch the water move.
Conoce cinco corredores fluviales
Un mapa regional
Lee los ríos como conexiones, no como fronteras.
This accessible diagram is an orientation tool, not a navigation map. Its text list gives the same five-region relationships without relying on color or shape.
Featured-set method: named corridors with dedicated Minnesota DNR State Water Trail pages, chosen to span the project’s five discovery regions; categorical selection, not a length ranking · reviewed July 27, 2026
Five regions linked by featured rivers
Northwest: Mississippi, Red River of the North, Rainy. Northeast: Mississippi, St. Croix, Rainy. Metro: Mississippi, Minnesota, St. Croix. Southwest: Minnesota. Southeast: Mississippi.
Cinco corredores para empezar
Elige un río y después un tramo manejable.
These are equal-entry profiles, not a largest-or-longest list. Each official link opens a DNR route page with maps, access context, and river-specific details.
Southwest · Metro
Minnesota River
Trace a broad prairie river valley east toward its meeting with the Mississippi, with water-trail maps dividing the journey into practical segments.
Abrir la fuente fluvial oficial
Northeast · Metro
St. Croix River
Explore a forested border river where islands, cliffs, towns, and changing current make careful section-by-section planning essential.
Abrir la fuente fluvial oficial
Northwest
Red River of the North
Meet a north-flowing prairie river shared with North Dakota, then use official maps and gauges to choose an appropriate access and section.
Abrir la fuente fluvial oficial
Northwest · Northeast
Rainy River
Discover an international border river connecting northern lakes and communities, with current conditions checked before any outing.
Abrir la fuente fluvial oficial
De la curiosidad a una salida segura
Organiza el día según las condiciones, el acceso y tu grupo.
Traza el tramo
Use the DNR water-trail map to locate accesses, dams, campsites, rapids, hazards, and river miles. The map is planning support, not a sole navigational aid.
Open the official interactive mapComprueba el nivel del agua
River levels can change quickly with rain, dam flow, and other conditions. Read the latest gauge interpretation close to departure.
Check DNR river levelsPlanifica para las personas
Match the route to the group, tell someone the plan, carry essential gear, and wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
Read DNR safety and rulesObserva la cuenca
A river carries the story of its whole drainage area. Explore MPCA watershed monitoring and restoration information, then connect back to lakes and communities upstream.
Explore MPCA watershed informationPlanning guidance: Minnesota DNR State Water Trails and MPCA watershed information · dynamic conditions must be rechecked · reviewed July 27, 2026
Sigue explorando las conexiones.
Move upstream into named lakes, compare the five regions, or shape a day around paddling, fishing, trails, and waterfront culture.