Mississippi River. The Mississippi River is the largest river in North America. It flows 2,350 miles from its source at Lake Itasca through the center of the continental US to the Gulf of Mexico.

The Mississippi River is the largest river in North America. It flows 2,350 miles from its source at Lake Itasca through the center of the continental US to the Gulf of Mexico.

The Mississippi River upriver from New Orleans, La. Thursday, May 8, 2025. Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurepas are to the right. (Staff photo by David Grunfeld, The Times-Picayune) ...

For people who live along the river, the Mississippi is “a creative force” that sculpts the landscape and rejuvenates the people who experience it up close.