Source of the Mississippi River. Located in Clearwater County, Minnesota. Surrounded by Itasca State Park, which was established in 1891 and is over 32,000 acres in size. The park also extends slightly into Becker County, Minnesota and Hubbard County, Minnesota. At its beginnings, the river is roughly 30 feet wide and can easily be waded across. The lake itself is approximately the shape of a lowercase h and, roughly, covers a little over a thousand acres.

Next to the beginning of the river stands a brown log with yellow lettering, reading "Here 1475 ft above the ocean the mighty Mississippi begins to flow on its winding way 2552 miles to the Gulf of Mexico."