Itasca State Park

History

Landscape

Itasca's 32,690 acres include lakes, streams, old growth forest, and hundreds of miles of hiking trails. No visit to Itasca is complete without seeing the headwaters of the Mississippi River, at the outlet of Lake Itasca.
Itasca's landscape is a glacial moraine, sometimes referred to as "knob and kettle." The land was shaped by advancing and receding glaciers, and the lakes are the residue of glacial melt.

Flora and fauna

Typically for northern Minnesota, the park is home to a great diversity of songbirds, predatory birds, freshwater fish, amphibians, and mammals. Observant visitors have a good chance of seeing deer, beavers, porcupines, black bears, and maybe even wolves.
The grand forests of Itasca State Park include red pine, white pine, cedars, aspen and birch. In undisturbed areas, some of the old growth trees have been determined to be more than 500 years old.

Climate

Lodging

• Mississippi Headwaters Hostel

  phone: +1 218 266-3415
  address: 27910 Forest Lane, Park Rapids, MN
  Operated by Hostelling International through a partnership agreement with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Camping

Backcountry