It begins at Minnesota's Lake Itasca and ends in the Gulf of Mexico. From top to bottom, the mighty Mississippi River is a 2,300-mile marvel and America's lifeline to the world. Follow the river as it carves its path from the northern headwaters to the nation's heartland to the southern bayou. Discover how the Mississippi operates as an engine of commerce, and see how its creatures thrive in and above its rushing waters and along its lush, green banks.

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The Mississippi River begins as a stream from Lake Itasca in Minnesota before gathering in size and power on its 2,300-mile journey south. Follow the first leg of its path, from the Upper Mississippi watershed to Minneapolis skyscrapers to the western Wisconsin border. Discover the wildlife that depends on the river to survive, from raccoons gearing up for the winter to black bears awaking at the first hints of spring to the massive swarm of mayflies that live a lifetime in a summer day.
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The Mississippi River begins as a stream from Lake Itasca in Minnesota before gathering in size and power on its 2,300-mile journey south. Follow the first leg of its path, from the Upper Mississippi watershed to Minneapolis skyscrapers to the western Wisconsin border. Discover the wildlife that depends on the river to survive, from raccoons gearing up for the winter to black bears awaking at the first hints of spring to the massive swarm of mayflies that live a lifetime in a summer day.