Mississippi River Trail

The Mississippi River Trail (or MRT) is a designated bicycle and pedestrian trail that traverses the shores of the Mississippi River in the United States. The trail goes from the headwaters at Lake Itasca in Minnesota to near the mouth of the river in Venice, Louisiana. Much of the trail follows roadways used by motor vehicles, although some of the route is on multi-use trails.

Route Description

According to the MRT website, the trail is divided into three sections: Northern, Central, and Southern. Also, in some locations trails are along both sides of the river.

Northern

Minnesota

The MRT begins at Itasca State Park, a Mecca for bicyclists and the location of the headwaters of the great river. Itasca Park contains over 20 miles of paved biking trails, giving riders unsurpassed experiences traveling through the pines and birch of Minnesota's North Woods.

After it leaves the park, the MRT winds north along the river, traversing county roads, to the city of Bemidji. Here the main trail connects to a number of city and regional trails, providing for as much or as little recreational sightseeing as the bicyclist desires. From Bemidji, the MRT heads southeast along the Paul Bunyan Trail, a state-developed rail-trail conversion. This 100 mile long paved trail takes the cyclist from the north woods into the farming and lake country around Brainerd. This is resort country in Minnesota, with fishing spots and golf courses seemingly around every bend in the road.

From Brainerd, the MRT follows county roads, some with marked bike lanes and some with paved shoulders, through the small cities of Little Falls and St. Cloud. These towns, along with other smaller communities along the river, offer all the services and conveniences bicyclists need, along with an important cross-section of Minnesota's historic places and diverse natural areas. The river here is much bigger than its northern origins, and several of the river towns still have important industrial and commercial connections to the river.

South of St. Cloud, the density of community settlement increases greatly, as the rider approaches the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Towns intersperse with farms, and occasional wooded areas remain, as the MRT follows the river to the birthplace of Minnesota.

Minneapolis and St. Paul are both river cities, and the MRT route through this major urban area captures all the vibrancy and beauty the cities have to offer. Here the bicyclist passes St. Anthony Falls, the only waterfall on the Mississippi and the source of power that made Minneapolis the world's leader in flour milling for half a century. Downtown St. Paul remains an important river and rail transportation center, continuing to build on traditions dating back to James J. Hill, the "Empire Builder" who connected the northwest with his Great Northern rails. But the MRT in the Twin Cities is quiet as well as lively. The hundreds of miles of recreational trails through the cities connect nearly a dozen city parks and natural areas; the MRT is a spine that bicyclists can take to any kind of environment they seek.

South of St. Paul, the MRT passes through several smaller cities before coming to Lake Pepin, a dramatic widening of the river that signals that we're in a different kind of landscape. South of Lake Pepin, the river, by now assuming the look of greatness, and bluffs dominate the landscape. Small cities like Wabasha and Winona offer respite and services, but this is river country.

Wisconsin

The Wisconsin section of the MRT begins at Prescott, WI and continues along the eastern side of the river all the way to Illinois. The section north of Prairie du Chien primarily follows the Great River Road, while the section south follows various state and county highways. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has prepared an online publication, The Great River Road Mississippi River Trail Bicycle Map: A Guide for Cycling Along Wisconsin's Great River, which offers a detailed section by section guide of the Wisconsin route complete with road maps, services, campgrounds and route descriptions.

Southern

Tennessee

The trail enters Obion County, Tennessee from Kentucky along Tennessee State Route 157 and then turns right onto Tennessee State Route 22 traveling southwest. The trail goes along the eastern boundary of Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge. Near Samburg, Tennessee, the trail turns right onto Tennessee State Route 21 and follows the south shore of Reelfoot Lake. It also passes near Reelfoot Lake State Park.

The trail enters into Lake County, Tennessee and turns left onto Bluebank Road, right onto Wynnburg-Keefe Road, left onto Madie Church to Keefe Road, Right onto Madie Thompson Road, Left onto Madie Road, and right onto Gratio Road, entering the town of Ridgely, Tennessee. Through Ridgely, the trail travels along Poplar Street, Main Street, and Depot Street (Levee Road). From here, the trail travels along Tennessee State Route 181, also known as Great River Road.

The trail enters Dyer County, Tennessee and crosses over Interstate 155. It continues south on TN 181 for several miles until it crosses over the Forked Deer River and into Lauderdale County, Tennessee. From here, the trail continues east on Tennessee State Route 88 and turns right onto Porter's Gap Road. Then the trail turns right onto Edith-Nankipoo Road and right onto Hobe Webb Road, traveling near the Chickasaw National Wildlife Refuge. The trail turns left onto Chisholm Lake Road, right onto Craig School Road (turning into Turkey Hill Road), and then left onto Tennessee State Route 19. Then the trail turns right onto Lightfoot Luckett Road then right onto Tennessee State Route 87, then left onto Tennessee State Route 371. The trail turns right onto Cooper Creek Road and then right onto U.S. Route 51, crossing into Tipton County, Tennessee over the Hatchie River.

Continuing south along Highway 51, the trail turns right onto Leigh's Chapel Road, left onto Flat Iron Road (turning into Simmons Street), right onto Murphy Avenue (turning into Bride Road), left onto Garland Drive, and right onto Garland Detroit Road (turning into Detroit Road, then Jamestown Road, then Randolph Road), following the top ridge of the 2nd Chickasaw Bluff. Passing through the town of Randolph, Tennessee, the trail turns right onto Needham Road and right onto Tennessee State Route 59. The trail then turns south onto Richardson Landing road, turns right onto Pryor Road (turning into Bluff Road), and makes a left in order to stay on Bluff Road. The trail turns right onto Quito-Drummonds Road and right onto Roy Bluff Road, entering Shelby County, Tennessee.

The trail continues south along Roy Bluff Road (turning into New Bethel Road), right onto Bass Road, right again onto New Behtel Road, right onto West Union Road, right onto Herring Hill Road, and straight onto Riverbluff Road (turning into Bluff Road). The trail travels along the ridge of the 3rd Chickasaw Bluff and passes through Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park. In the community of Shelby Forest, Tennessee, the trail turns right onto Benjestown Road, right onto Island Forty Road (turning into Ramsey Road), and right back onto Benjestown Road. Then the trail turns left onto South Circle Road (turning into East Circle Road), right onto Northaven Drive, and right onto Tennessee State Route 388 (North Watkins Street), passing through the Northaven area and crossing over the Loosahatchie River into the Frayser community of Memphis, Tennessee.

Once in Memphis, the route turns right onto Millington Road, right onto Carrolton Road, left onto Benjestown Road, and right onto Whitney Avenue, passing by General DeWitt Spain Airport and over the Wolf River. The trail turns south onto North Mud Island Road (turning into Island Drive) and passes through the Harbortown neighborhood. Then the trail turns left onto A.W. Willis Avenue over Wolf River Harbor, right onto Front Street (passing next to the Pyramid Arena), passes under Interstate 40 and the Hernando De Soto Bridge, turns right onto Jefferson Avenue, and left onto Riverside Drive, entering Downtown Memphis. From here, the trail continues south on Riverside Drive, passing by Mud Island, the MATA Trolley riverfront loop, and the South Bluffs neighborhood. The trail goes along the paths in Tom Lee Park and the Riverwalk Trail system in Downtown Memphis.

After this, the official trail is unclear. According to the MRT website, the trail travels under the Harahan Bridge and the Frisco Bridge, up the side of the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, and onto a sidewalk on the Memphis-Arkansas Bridge. A route following the South side of the Memphis-Arkansas bridge from E.H. Crump park has been documented. Plans have been approved to build a multi-use trail for pedestrians and cyclists by re-opening the road section along the north side of the Harahan bridge.

References

Cycle Tour - Maps and Route descriptions of 2013 tour along the Mississippi River Trail www.rwnetworks.blogspot.ca