A Totally Different View of the Mississippi River [Video]

Video shot in Iowa, looks like a tropical rainforest:

Compared to Downtown Minneapolis:

Virtual Tours of the Mississippi River with Ranger on Call

You can have a national park experience 24 hours a day with Ranger on Call, a virtual tour of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area from the National Park Service.

Ranger on Call is an audio guide to exploring some of the park’s most special places. The guide features a series of 20 stops designed to expand users’ knowledge of the Mississippi River and provoke exploration.

Users can listen to stories from all along the 72-mile corridor of the national park, and download podcasts and maps online.  For an all-encompassing park experience, users can visit the featured sites along the river in person and dial 1-877-727-1172 (toll free) for the cell phone tour.

Ranger on Call features narration by Don Shelby, who brings to life the stories from diverse communities along the river. Tour stops feature the Minneapolis Riverfront, Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary and Lock and Dam #2 in Hastings.

Ranger on Call was created by the National Park Service and the Mississippi River Fund. The national park’s 72-mile boundary stretches along the Mississippi River from Dayton/Ramsey, through Minneapolis and Saint Paul, to just south of Hastings. It includes a range of cultural, economic and natural resources — from historic sites like Fort Snelling to unique features including the river’s only waterfall and gorge, to public parks and wildlife refuges.

In addition to protecting the river’s ecosystems and water quality and providing access points for recreation, the park offers a range of volunteer and educational activities, including ranger-led canoe, fishing, biking and hiking programs and school programs.

The Mississippi River Fund is the official charitable partner of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area. The fund supports stewardship and community engagement programs that support the park and its mission. These programs include water quality protection, habitat restoration, formal education, and interpretive programs that share with the public the significant role our National Park plays in American history and culture.

Downtown Ducks [Photos]

We encountered these fine featherd friends on a recent walk from the West Bank of the Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront, across the Stone Arch Bridge, through Father Hennepin Park, along Historic Main Street, and down on the East Bank of the Minneapolis Riverfront.

Our walk was inspired by a hike we attended in the winter of 2010 guided by Cordelia Pierson of the Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership. Support MRP - MinneapolisRiverfrontPartnership.org - and the Minneapolis Riverfront.