Resource of the Month: The best views of the river
There are many excellent places to view the Mississippi River as it flows through the Twin Cities Metro Area. However, there are two public sites that rate 11 out of 10 on the WOW-o-meter. One such site is the overlook at the Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) river at this point is transitioning into a large floodplain river system and this site provides views of forested blufflands and islands. In addition to wonderful views of the river, this SNA also offers great hiking and bird watching.
The second site, the River Oaks Scenic Overlook in Cottage Grove, is located several miles downriver from the first and provides wonderful vistas of the river and its environs including Schaar’s Bluff unit of the Dakota County Spring Lake Park Reserve, Pine Bend Natural Area and Lock and Dam 2 at Hastings. One begins to feel the grandiosity of the river from this prairie remnant along the bluffs in this tiny but spectacular city park.
