Itasca State Park - Mississippi Headwaters

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Here is our trip to Itasca State Park in north central Minnesota. This park includes Lake Itasca, the headwaters of the Mississippi river. (Page 2 of 3)

Once you leave the Mississippi headwaters you can choose to take Wilderness Drive, the one way road loop that goes around the Itasca Wilderness Sanctuary Scientific & Natural Area. It contains old growth forest that has never been logged. The picture to the left shows an area known as The Blowdown, an area where high wind snapped off the tops of all the trees.

The picture of the information board about the white pine didn't come out too well, if you enlarge it you can make most of it out.

Here is the largest white pine, notice its triangular shape. The light was beginning to fade and the light in the old growth is dim already.

A little white pine information.

The kids are standing on the trunk of another big white pine.

The Wilderness Road disappears into the old growth forest.

Here is the bison kill site. Pre-historic hunters killed and butchered a bison here. That's either Lake Itasca or Elk lake in the background. You can make out the bank of a very small stream if you enlarge the picture. I remember the literature saying that in the past the lake came almost to this very spot where the bison were killed and butchered.

Here is the explaination of the red pine and the largest red pine in particular.

This is a shot of the whole largest red pine and also of its crown.

From the Wilderness road this pond complete with two beaver houses is visible.

Just a view off into the woods.

At the end of the Wilderness road is the Douglas Lodge. We stopped there and took the walking trail along the East Arm of Lake Itasca. This is a view into the woods near the lakeside. Notice all the moss growing on the ground. Signs everywhere warn you not to walk on the moss or you will damage it for years to come.

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Previous Travelogue
3 of 3

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Click on picture to enlarge picture in a new window

	Once you leave the Mississippi headwaters you can choose to take Wilderness Drive, the one way road loop that goes around the Itasca Wilderness Sanctuary Scientific & Natural Area. It contains old growth forest that has never been logged. The picture to the left shows an area known as The Blowdown, an area where high wind snapped off the tops of all the trees.
	The picture of the information board about the white pine didn't come out too well, if you enlarge it you can make most of it out.
	Here is the largest white pine, notice its triangular shape. The light was beginning to fade and the light in the old growth is dim already.
	A little white pine information.
	The kids are standing on the trunk of another big white pine.
	The Wilderness Road disappears into the old growth forest.
	Here is the bison kill site. Pre-historic hunters killed and butchered a bison here. That's either Lake Itasca or Elk lake in the background. You can make out the bank of a very small stream if you enlarge the picture. I remember the literature saying that in the past the lake came almost to this very spot where the bison were killed and butchered.
	Here is the explaination of the red pine and the largest red pine in particular.
	This is a shot of the whole largest red pine and also of its crown.
	From the Wilderness road this pond complete with two beaver houses is visible.
	Just a view off into the woods.
	At the end of the Wilderness road is the Douglas Lodge. We stopped there and took the walking trail along the East Arm of Lake Itasca. This is a view into the woods near the lakeside. Notice all the moss growing on the ground. Signs everywhere warn you not to walk on the moss or you will damage it for years to come.