On a sunny Saturday in late June, we decided to make the trip to Itasca and La Salle Lake State Parks. Both my husband and I had been to Itasca State Park before, but never with our kids. Ironically, our oldest son had recently learned about several state and national parks in fourth grade and was very interested in seeing the beginnings of the second-longest river in North America. It was just the push we needed to visit both the oldest and the youngest state parks in Minnesota.
We first stopped at Itasca State Park. Entering the park on the east side our first stop was at Preacher’s Grove. We touched the towering red pine trees that have stood here for centuries. The boys were particularly fascinated by how thick the bark of these trees is (protection against forest fire). We took a short hike alongside the Lake Itasca before making our way to the picnic area just east of the headwaters. We had packed a lunch before we left so we ate before walking the Brower Trail to the start of the Mississippi River.
Mommy Baggage Hiking with Kids Tip: Visiting places with hungry kids spells meltdowns. Eat BEFORE you go.
From the east picnic grounds, the headwaters is less than a mile and a half away. When we arrived, we peeled off our shoes and socks and made the slippery rock walk across one of our country’s most important waterways.
The boys enjoyed wading in the water and watching grass and sticks float downstream. It’s incredible to think that those items will wind up in the Gulf of Mexico about three months from now.
Mommy Baggage Hiking with Kids Tip: Always pack an extra set of clothes including socks and underwear for the kids. The river proved too tempting and my boys. They were full-on swimming before we left the headwaters. A quick change in the car before our next hike saved the day.
After our water fun, we walked to the Mississippi Headwaters Center. The center has some great exhibits that illustrate the journey of the river from Minnesota to Louisiana. It’s also a nice place to grab a snack and a souvenir.
We walked back to our vehicle and then made the 10-mile trip north to La Salle Lake State Recreation Area. La Salle is the newest Minnesota State Park; established in 2011. We were surprised by the abundance of wildflowers along the River Overlook Trail. The Overlook Trail is about 3 miles out and back and ends with great views of the first few miles of the Mississippi River. It’s hard to imagine that this small creek is the same Mighty Mississippi River that culminates some 2,500 miles downstream in the Gulf of Mexico.
River Overlook Trail 
Our trip to Itasca and La Salle Lake State Parks was one of our favorites (so far). We are already dreaming of future bike rides at Itasca and a possible stay in one of La Salle’s log cabins.
You can read more about Mommy Baggage’s Minnesota State Park adventures including; Whitewater State Park, Gooseberry Falls State Park and many more.
Happy Hiking, Rochelle