Itasca State Park - Park Rapids

One of my favorite state parks out there! You can see lots of historic sites here including the (formerly) tallest tree in Minnesota.

Beautiful park! It's pretty amazing to be at the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi! The rocks can be quite slippery so be careful! I would highly recommend water shoes and just stay off the rocks.We also stopped at the fire tower. It's 135 steps to the top of the tower. There is a 1/2 hike to the tower which involves a fairly steep, long incline.

Nice facilities, information, and beautiful lake! Don't think you can get a pic without any people in it, at the spot where the river starts in July! This place seems like the middle of nowhere but it's super crowded!

Can't say enough good things about this park. The main visitor center is great, people are very helpful, tons of free info and maps available as well as cool historical information. There are many great short trails near the visitor center which would be good for short trips.The Mississippi Headwaters Center was very cool to see and well maintained. When I went it was very busy but there was also a family event so it was fine to share the space.There are many other varied hikes and sites along the Wilderness Drive, you could easily spend a whole day within the park. I ate at Douglas Lodge which had decent enough food and there are a few other cafes throughout the park as well as gift shops with snacks.I camped in one of the backpacking sites on Deer Park Lake. The hike on Deer Park Trail was moderately challenging because of the inclines but it was well-maintained and not treacherous. The trail was well marked and it was very easy to find my site. It was well taken care of and had lake access and a vault toilet nearby. It was far away from the main campground and other sites which was perfect for what I was looking for.Absolutely awesome site for birding. I was lucky enough to have a pair of Trumpeter Swans across the lake, and dozens of birds around camp.

Beautiful park. Stunning hiking trails and a walk across the Mississippi River is always fun.