According to Abbreviationfinder, with population of 5,639,632, Minnesota is the 22nd largest state among U.S. 50 states, and MN is the two letter abbreviation for Minnesota. Here, we provide a list of major rivers and mountains in the state of Minnesota.
Rivers in Minnesota
Minnesota River
The Minnesota River is an approx. 534 km long tributary of the Mississippi River and flows completely in the state of Minnesota. The Minnesota River flows from Big Stone Lake in the west of Minnesota and runs from there in a principally southeast direction until it joins the Blue Earth River in the city of Mankato and from there in a northeast direction to its mouth in the Mississippi, south of Minneapolis and St Paul, flows towards.
Rainy River
With a length of only about 140, the Rainy River is a fairly short river, but an important one because it forms the border between the USA and Canada, or the border between the US state of Minnesota and the Canadian province Ontario. Two border bridges run across the Rainy River. The Baudette-Rainy River International Bridge and the Fort Frances-International Falls International Bridge.
St. Croix River
The St. Croix River is an approx. 272 km long tributary of the Mississippi and forms an approx. 200 km long section of the border between the two states in the northwest of Wisconsin and east of Minnesota. The St. Croix River rises approximately 30 km south of Lake Superior through the outflow from Upper St. Croix Lake. The river flows into the Mississippi River at Prescott in Wisconsin. It is interesting to observe the color difference between the clean and clear St. Croix River and the muddy Mississippi River, which shows a clear line at the confluence. Parts of the St. Croix River stand have the protection status of a National Wild and Scenic River.
Des Moines River
The 845 km long Des Moines River is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It rises not far from the Iowa and Minnesota border, flows once across the state of Iowa and eventually ends southwest in the Mississippi. A small stretch of the Des Moines River forms the border with Minnesota. Its entire catchment area covers 38,340 km². The capital of Iowa was named after this river and had to be evacuated several times due to some flooding.
Red River
The Red River has a length of approx. 877 km and is formed by the confluence of the Otter Tail River and the Bois de Sioux River. The river is also known as the Red River often north to separate it from the Red River, the tributary of the Mississippi. The Red River forms almost the entire border between the states of North Dakota and Minnesota. The river flows into Lake Winnepeg in Manitoba, Canada.
- COUNTRYAAH: Alphabetical list of all cities, towns and villages in Minnesota, including biggest cities by population and capital city in the state of Minnesota.
Mountains in Minnesota
Minnesota’s topography is relatively flat. This has to do with the massive glaciers that are at least one kilometer thick and have shaped today’s topography over a long period of time. The glaciers disappeared about 12,000 years ago. Nowadays only the extreme northeast, the so-called Arrowhead Country, is a bit hilly or mountainous. There you will find the Vermilion Range and the Mesabi Range, the two most important iron ore deposits in Minnesota.
Eagle Mountain
Eagle Mountain is located in the extreme northeast of Minnesota and has a height of approx. 701 m. Eagle Mountain is only about 21 km from the deepest point in Minnesota, the coast of Lake Superior (Upper Lake). Compared to the surrounding area, Eagle Mountain only has a height difference of around 168 m. A hiking trail with a length of approx. 5.6 km leads to the “summit” of Eagle Mountain and should be planned for 2.5 hours. Halfway there is Whale Lake, here you will find camping opportunities. Because Eagle Mountain is in the Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the Superior National Forest, you need permission to get there.
Lakes and reservoirs in Minnesota
One of Minnesota’s nicknames is “Land of 10,000 Lakes”. This is even an understatement because there are 11,843 lakes in Minnesota that are larger than 40,000 m². If you add up the coastlines of all lakes and rivers in Minnesota, the total coastline is longer than that of the states of California, Florida and Hawaii combined.
Lake Superior
With a surface area of 82,103 km², Lake Superior (German: Oberer See) is the largest of the five Great Lakes in North America and the second largest inland water after the Caspian Sea. Measured on its surface, it is the largest freshwater lake in the world. It is approx. 600 km long, 283 km wide and around 400 m deep at its deepest point. The border between the USA and Canada runs through Lake Superior. On the Canadian side, Lake Superior borders on the province of Ontario and on the US side it borders on the states of Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Since there are relatively few industrial plants on its coasts, Lake Superior is the lake of the Great Lakes with the best water quality. The shoreline of Lake Superior stretches for some 4,390 km. Lake Superior has over 200 tributaries and flows into the Lake Huron via the Saint Marys River. In the past, Lake Superior served the region’s economic development as it served as an eminently important trade route. This continues to this day because the ports of Duluth (Minnesota) and Superior (Wisconsin) are the top-selling inland ports in the United States. The tourist use of the lake has increased significantly in recent years and it offers numerous water sports in summer and winter.
Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods is located in the north of Minnesota or south of the Canadian province of Ontario. The border between the USA and Canada runs through Rainy Lake and is recorded in the Lake of the Woods Convention and Protocol from 1925. This also created the area of the Northwest Angle, an American enclave that is completely surrounded by Canadian territory. The Lake of the Woods covers an area of approximately 4,390 km² of which approximately 70% is located on the Canadian side. There are over 14,500 larger and smaller islands in the lake. The main inflow to the Lake of the Woods is the Rainy River and drainage is through the Winnipeg River.
Rainy Lake
Rainy Lake is an approx. 932 km² freshwater lake in the north of Minnesota or south of the Canadian province of Ontario. The border of the USA and Canada runs through Rainy Lake. Rainy Lake is home to over 2,500 larger and smaller islands, most of which are equipped with fishing huts. Rainy Lake is an extremely popular fishing area and the Canadian Bass Championship has taken place here annually since 1996. Due to the “fishing tourism” and other tourist use, the Rainy Lake is of enormous importance for the regional economy.
Lake Vermilion
Lake Vermilion is located in northeastern Minnesota and covers an area of approximately 162 km². Lake Vermilion is a popular destination, not only for tourists from the region. There are numerous resorts and hotels on Lake Vermilion and it is considered an excellent fishing area. Rumor has it that Lake Vermilion was declared one of the top ten most scenic lakes in the United States by the National Geographic Society in the 1940s. However, this was contested by the National Geographic Society in 2007 upon official request.
Big Stone Lake
The Big Stone Lake forms the border between the US states of Minnesota and South Dakota. The Big Stone Lake is basically the pent-up Minnesota River. The lake is a great destination for a day trip, as visitors will find Hartford Beach State Park and Big Stone Lake State Park (Minnesota). Fishing is particularly popular because it is particularly good for catching perch and pike.
Mille Lacs Lake
Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota is a very popular lake for anglers. The lake covers an area of approximately 536 km² and is the second largest inland lake in the state. Mille Lacs Lake is particularly recommended in winter, as it freezes over in December and is both walkable and passable. Due to this fact, ice fishing houses are built annually.
Leech Lake
The Leech Lake is located in the northern part of Minnesota and covers an area of approximately 451 km². The dam of the lake was built in 1880.
Lake Minnetonka
Lake Minnetonka is located in the south of Minnesota, covers an area of approximately 57 km² and forms numerous bays. Since the lake is close to the metropolitan region of the Twin Cities, it is a popular destination.
